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  1. JDK
  2. JDK-8233915

JVMTI FollowReferences: Java Heap Leak not found because of C2 Scalar Replacement

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    Description

      The attached test (v4) shows that C2 scalar replacement (-XX:+EliminateAllocations) can prevent JVMTI
      agents from finding a memory leak using JVMTI FollowReferences().

      The required JVMTI capability can_tag_objects is an 'always' capability, meaning an agent can
      request it during the live phase. This allows for loading an agent dynamically into the vm to do heap
      diagnostics. Therefore it is not sufficient to disable scalar replacement when can_tag_objects is
      taken by an agent. The test shows this also.

      This bug report duplicates JDK-8230956, but it is supposed to be less theoretical giving an example
      that is close to real world scenarios and it shows, that just disabling escape analysis is not
      sufficient.

      Steps performed by the test:

      // Please use v4. Previous versions are obsolete.

      - Warmup: call dontinline_leakHoldingMethodWithScalarReplacement(long leakSize) often with small
        leak size to get it compiled by C2.

      - After warmup call dontinline_leakHoldingMethodWithScalarReplacement(long leakSize) again with
        Long.MAX_VALUE as target leak size.

      - In that call create and inflate a new leak, linking new LeakObject instances into a list which is
        rooted at an object referenced by the local variable 'holder'.

      - This 'holder' object is allocated at the entry of dontinline_leakHoldingMethodWithScalarReplacement(long leakSize).
        C2 eliminated this allocation based on proof by escape analysis that the created object is local
        to the compiled method. The scalar field values are used directely be the compiled code (scalar replacement).

      - Continue inflating until until {@link OutOfMemoryError} is thrown.

      - Catch the OOM in {@link #dontinline_allocateNewLeakObj()} and dynamically load the agent to create
        a class histogram of reachable heap objects. This can be done, because the capability
        can_tag_objects required for JVMTI FollowReferences() can be added during the live phase.

      - Call into the agent which uses JVMTI FollowReferences() to sum up used bytes per class of
        reachable objects. The implementation of FollowReferences() misses scalar replaced objects and
        consequently all leaked objects too.

      - Control returns to dontinline_leakHoldingMethodWithScalarReplacement(long leakSize) and an uncommon trap is hit.

      - The compiled frame is replaced with interpreter frames. Scalar replaced objects are reallocated on the heap.

      - Capture 2nd class histogram. This one shows the leak, because the holder was reallocated on the heap.

      - Store the root object 'holder' into a static variable. Because of this store the holder object was and is
        "definitively reachable" in the sense of JLS 12.6 Finalization of Class Instances.

      - Capture 3nd class histogram. It contains the leak as well.

      - Delete reference to the leak.

      - Capture 4th class histogram. It shows that the leak became unreachable.

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              rrich Richard Reingruber
              rrich Richard Reingruber
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