Hi, along with the development of various algorithms for Harmony GC, I
realized the current gc interface design has serious limitation to
both performance and flexibility. For example, now Harmony GC has a
couple of gc_alloc implementations for different collection
algorithms, to support their correct invocation, we have to do
following in gc_alloc():
if( use_marksweep )
gc_alloc_marksweep();
else if( use_semispace )
gc_alloc_semispace();
else if( use_partialforward )
gc_alloc_partialforward();
....
VM assumes GC provides a single gc_alloc function. It slows down the
allocation operations, and limits GC design's flexibility.
My idea is to change the current design, using a query interface in GC
for VM to query for the correct functions. For example, for gc_alloc,
VM does:
gc_alloc = gc_interface(gc_module, GC_ALLOC);
Probably GC module only implements gc_interface() function to return
the queried interface functions accordingly. For gc_alloc, GC can
directly returns the proper gc_alloc_xxxx function to reply the query.
This also applies to GC helper interface design. When there are
multiple different gc_alloc GC helper implementations, GC should have
the right to select the proper one and avoids the switch-case process.
The idea proposed here is a step to a really flexible GC interface for
better modularity. I have some more abrupt design changes in mind, but
I'd rather approach them step by step in an evolving way.
Do you think this is a better design than existing one?
Thanks,
xiaofeng
--
http://xiao-feng.blogspot.com
