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lecture_slides_10_101-memallocation-intro

The document outlines concepts related to memory allocation in programming, specifically focusing on dynamic memory allocation using languages like C and Java. It discusses the use of functions like malloc, free, and realloc for managing memory, along with the importance of deallocating unused memory to prevent leaks. Additionally, it covers types of allocators and common memory-related bugs in C programs.

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2 views

lecture_slides_10_101-memallocation-intro

The document outlines concepts related to memory allocation in programming, specifically focusing on dynamic memory allocation using languages like C and Java. It discusses the use of functions like malloc, free, and realloc for managing memory, along with the importance of deallocating unused memory to prevent leaks. Additionally, it covers types of allocators and common memory-related bugs in C programs.

Uploaded by

yihuangece
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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University

 of  Washington  

Roadmap   Memory  &  data  


Integers  &  floats  
Machine  code  &  C  
C:   Java:  
x86  assembly  
car *c = malloc(sizeof(car)); Car c = new Car(); Procedures  &  stacks  
c->miles = 100; c.setMiles(100); Arrays  &  structs  
c->gals = 17; c.setGals(17);
float mpg = get_mpg(c); float mpg =
Memory  &  caches  
free(c); c.getMPG(); Processes  
Virtual  memory  
Assembly   get_mpg: Memory  alloca@on  
language:   pushq %rbp Java  vs.  C  
movq %rsp, %rbp
...
popq %rbp
ret
OS:  
Machine   0111010000011000
100011010000010000000010
code:   1000100111000010
110000011111101000011111

Computer  
system:  

Memory  Alloca@on  
University  of  Washington  

Sec@on  10:  Memory  Alloca@on  Topics  


¢ Dynamic  memory  alloca@on  
§ Size/number  of  data  structures  may  only  be  known  at  run  7me  
§ Need  to  allocate  space  on  the  heap  
§ Need  to  de-­‐allocate  (free)  unused  memory  so  it  can  be  re-­‐allocated  
¢ Implementa@on    
§ Implicit  free  lists  
§ Explicit  free  lists  –  subject  of  next  programming  assignment  
§ Segregated  free  lists  
¢ Garbage  collec@on  
¢ Common  memory-­‐related  bugs  in  C  programs  

Memory  Alloca@on  
University  of  Washington  

Dynamic  Memory  Alloca@on    


¢ Programmers  use   Applica@on  
dynamic  memory   Dynamic  Memory  Allocator  
allocators  (such  as  
Heap  
malloc)  to  acquire  
memory  at  run  @me.    
§ For  data  structures  whose   User  stack  
size  is  only  known  at  
run7me.  
Top  of  heap  
¢ Dynamic  memory    (brk ptr)  
Heap  (via  malloc)  
allocators  manage  an  
area  of  process  virtual   Unini@alized  data  (.bss)  
memory  known  as  the   Ini@alized  data  (.data)  
heap.     Program  text  (.text)  

0  
Memory  Alloca@on  
University  of  Washington  

Dynamic  Memory  Alloca@on  


¢ Allocator  maintains  heap  as  collec@on  of  variable  sized  
blocks,  which  are  either  allocated  or  free  
§ Allocator  requests  space  in  heap  region;  VM  hardware  and  kernel  
allocate  these  pages  to  the  process  
§ Applica7on  objects  are  typically  smaller  than  pages,  so  the  allocator  
manages  blocks  within  pages  
¢ Types  of  allocators  
§ Explicit  allocator:    applica7on  allocates  and  frees  space    
§E.g.    malloc  and  free  in  C  
§ Implicit  allocator:  applica7on  allocates,  but  does  not  free  space  
§ E.g.  garbage  collec7on  in  Java,  ML,  and  Lisp  

Memory  Alloca@on  
University  of  Washington  

The  malloc  Package  


#include <stdlib.h>
void *malloc(size_t size)
§ Successful:  
§ Returns  a  pointer  to  a  memory  block  of  at  least  size  bytes  
(typically)  aligned  to  8-­‐byte  boundary  
§ If  size == 0,  returns  NULL  
§ Unsuccessful:  returns  NULL  and  sets  errno
void free(void *p)
§ Returns  the  block  pointed  at  by  p  to  pool  of  available  memory  
§ p  must  come  from  a  previous  call  to  malloc or  realloc
Other  func@ons  
§ calloc:  Version  of  malloc  that  ini7alizes  allocated  block  to  zero.    
§ realloc:  Changes  the  size  of  a  previously  allocated  block.  
§ sbrk:  Used  internally  by  allocators  to  grow  or  shrink  the  heap.  
Memory  Alloca@on  
University  of  Washington  

Malloc  Example  
void foo(int n, int m) {
int i, *p;

/* allocate a block of n ints */


p = (int *)malloc(n * sizeof(int));
if (p == NULL) {
perror("malloc");
exit(0);
}
for (i=0; i<n; i++) p[i] = i;

/* add space for m ints to end of p block */


if ((p = (int *)realloc(p, (n+m) * sizeof(int))) == NULL) {
perror("realloc");
exit(0);
}
for (i=n; i < n+m; i++) p[i] = i;

/* print new array */


for (i=0; i<n+m; i++)
printf("%d\n", p[i]);

free(p); /* return p to available memory pool */


}
Memory  Alloca@on  

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