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Re: Robust getpid caching via MADV_WIPEONFORK?



On 07/12/2017 05:06, Florian Weimer wrote:
> On 11/22/2017 09:34 PM, Josh Triplett wrote:
>> Given that, I wanted to start a thread about the idea of making
>> getpid() caching, and for that matter other potential uses of
>> pthread_atfork(), robust using MADV_WIPEONFORK when available.
> 
> One major issue with the existing PID cache was the interaction with vfork, for calling abort/assert from the subprocess.  MADV_WIPEONFORK mappings are not cleared on vfork, so such a PID cache would still return the wrong value in this context.
> 
> Thanks,
> Florian

There were other issues about synchronization and code complexity among 
some functions (fork, raise, getpid) which was assuming relaxed atomic 
when updating the pthread_t tid field which was not sure it was totally
correct on architectures different than x86_64. 

In any case I think if getpid is indeed a hotspot in some programs
a better alternative would to implement as vDSO symbol and let the 
kernel handle the synchronization required when its value should change.
I think trying to accomplish it with current different Linux apis
is troublesome.


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