NULL and movement check in process_edge (#1032)

This PR does two things:

1. `ProcessEdgesWork::process_edge` will skip slots that are not holding
references (i.e. if `Edge::load()` returns `ObjectReference::NULL`).
2. `ProcessEdgesWork::process_edge` will skip the `Edge::store()` if the
object is not moved.

Doing (1) removes unnecessary invocations of `trace_object()` as well as
the subsequent `Edge::store()`. It also allows slots to hold
non-reference tagged values. In that case, the VM binding can return
`ObjectReference::NULL` in `Edge::load()` so that mmtk-core will simply
skip the slot, fixing #1031

Doing (2) removes unnecessary `Edge::store()` operations in the case
where the objects are not moved during `trace_object`. It reduces the
STW time in most cases, fixing
#574

Fixes: #1031
Fixes: #574

docs/userguide/src/tutorial/code/mygc_semispace/gc_work.rs

@@ -56,9 +56,7 @@ impl<VM: VMBinding> ProcessEdgesWork for MyGCProcessEdges<VM> {
     }
 
     fn trace_object(&mut self, object: ObjectReference) -> ObjectReference {
-        if object.is_null() {
-            return object;
-        }
+        debug_assert!(!object.is_null());
         let worker = self.worker();
         let queue = &mut self.base.nodes;
         if self.plan.tospace().in_space(object) {

docs/userguide/src/tutorial/mygc/ss/exercise_solution.md

@@ -149,9 +149,7 @@ In `gc_work.rs`:
  the tospace and fromspace:
     ```rust
         fn trace_object(&mut self, object: ObjectReference) -> ObjectReference {
-            if object.is_null() {
-                return object;
-            }
+            debug_assert!(!object.is_null());
 
             // Add this!
             else if self.plan().youngspace().in_space(object) {

src/plan/generational/gc_work.rs

@@ -36,19 +36,25 @@ impl<VM: VMBinding, P: GenerationalPlanExt<VM> + PlanTraceObject<VM>> ProcessEdg
         Self { plan, base }
     }
     fn trace_object(&mut self, object: ObjectReference) -> ObjectReference {
-        if object.is_null() {
-            return object;
-        }
+        debug_assert!(!object.is_null());
+
         // We cannot borrow `self` twice in a call, so we extract `worker` as a local variable.
         let worker = self.worker();
         self.plan
             .trace_object_nursery(&mut self.base.nodes, object, worker)
     }
     fn process_edge(&mut self, slot: EdgeOf<Self>) {
         let object = slot.load();
+        if object.is_null() {
+            return;
+        }
         let new_object = self.trace_object(object);
         debug_assert!(!self.plan.is_object_in_nursery(new_object));
-        slot.store(new_object);
+        // Note: If `object` is a mature object, `trace_object` will not call `space.trace_object`,
+        // but will still return `object`.  In that case, we don't need to write it back.
+        if new_object != object {
+            slot.store(new_object);
+        }
     }
 
     fn create_scan_work(

src/policy/copyspace.rs

@@ -217,6 +217,7 @@ impl<VM: VMBinding> CopySpace<VM> {
         worker: &mut GCWorker<VM>,
     ) -> ObjectReference {
         trace!("copyspace.trace_object(, {:?}, {:?})", object, semantics,);
+        debug_assert!(!object.is_null());
 
         // If this is not from space, we do not need to trace it (the object has been copied to the tosapce)
         if !self.is_from_space() {

src/policy/immix/immixspace.rs

@@ -184,6 +184,7 @@ impl<VM: VMBinding> crate::policy::gc_work::PolicyTraceObject<VM> for ImmixSpace
         copy: Option<CopySemantics>,
         worker: &mut GCWorker<VM>,
     ) -> ObjectReference {
+        debug_assert!(!object.is_null());
         if KIND == TRACE_KIND_TRANSITIVE_PIN {
             self.trace_object_without_moving(queue, object)
         } else if KIND == TRACE_KIND_DEFRAG {

src/policy/immortalspace.rs

@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ impl<VM: VMBinding> ImmortalSpace<VM> {
         queue: &mut Q,
         object: ObjectReference,
     ) -> ObjectReference {
+        debug_assert!(!object.is_null());
         #[cfg(feature = "vo_bit")]
         debug_assert!(
             crate::util::metadata::vo_bit::is_vo_bit_set::<VM>(object),

src/policy/largeobjectspace.rs

@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ impl<VM: VMBinding> LargeObjectSpace<VM> {
         queue: &mut Q,
         object: ObjectReference,
     ) -> ObjectReference {
+        debug_assert!(!object.is_null());
         #[cfg(feature = "vo_bit")]
         debug_assert!(
             crate::util::metadata::vo_bit::is_vo_bit_set::<VM>(object),

src/policy/markcompactspace.rs

@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ impl<VM: VMBinding> crate::policy::gc_work::PolicyTraceObject<VM> for MarkCompac
         _copy: Option<CopySemantics>,
         _worker: &mut GCWorker<VM>,
     ) -> ObjectReference {
+        debug_assert!(!object.is_null());
         debug_assert!(
             KIND != TRACE_KIND_TRANSITIVE_PIN,
             "MarkCompact does not support transitive pin trace."

src/policy/marksweepspace/malloc_ms/global.rs

@@ -400,9 +400,7 @@ impl<VM: VMBinding> MallocSpace<VM> {
         queue: &mut Q,
         object: ObjectReference,
     ) -> ObjectReference {
-        if object.is_null() {
-            return object;
-        }
+        debug_assert!(!object.is_null());
 
         assert!(
             self.in_space(object),

src/policy/marksweepspace/native_ms/global.rs

@@ -241,9 +241,7 @@ impl<VM: VMBinding> MarkSweepSpace<VM> {
         queue: &mut Q,
         object: ObjectReference,
     ) -> ObjectReference {
-        if object.is_null() {
-            return object;
-        }
+        debug_assert!(!object.is_null());
         debug_assert!(
             self.in_space(object),
             "Cannot mark an object {} that was not alloced by free list allocator.",

src/scheduler/gc_work.rs

@@ -273,11 +273,8 @@ pub(crate) struct ProcessEdgesWorkTracer<E: ProcessEdgesWork> {
 impl<E: ProcessEdgesWork> ObjectTracer for ProcessEdgesWorkTracer<E> {
     /// Forward the `trace_object` call to the underlying `ProcessEdgesWork`,
     /// and flush as soon as the underlying buffer of `process_edges_work` is full.
-    ///
-    /// This function is inlined because `trace_object` is probably the hottest function in MMTk.
-    /// If this function is called in small closures, please profile the program and make sure the
-    /// closure is inlined, too.
     fn trace_object(&mut self, object: ObjectReference) -> ObjectReference {
+        debug_assert!(!object.is_null());
         let result = self.process_edges_work.trace_object(object);
         self.flush_if_full();
         result
@@ -663,8 +660,12 @@ pub trait ProcessEdgesWork:
     /// trace the object and store back the new object reference if necessary.
     fn process_edge(&mut self, slot: EdgeOf<Self>) {
         let object = slot.load();
+        if object.is_null() {
+            return;
+        }
         let new_object = self.trace_object(object);
-        if Self::OVERWRITE_REFERENCE {
+        debug_assert!(!new_object.is_null());
+        if Self::OVERWRITE_REFERENCE && new_object != object {
             slot.store(new_object);
         }
     }
@@ -721,9 +722,7 @@ impl<VM: VMBinding> ProcessEdgesWork for SFTProcessEdges<VM> {
     fn trace_object(&mut self, object: ObjectReference) -> ObjectReference {
         use crate::policy::sft::GCWorkerMutRef;
 
-        if object.is_null() {
-            return object;
-        }
+        debug_assert!(!object.is_null());
 
         // Erase <VM> type parameter
         let worker = GCWorkerMutRef::new(self.worker());
@@ -997,9 +996,7 @@ impl<VM: VMBinding, P: PlanTraceObject<VM> + Plan<VM = VM>, const KIND: TraceKin
     }
 
     fn trace_object(&mut self, object: ObjectReference) -> ObjectReference {
-        if object.is_null() {
-            return object;
-        }
+        debug_assert!(!object.is_null());
         // We cannot borrow `self` twice in a call, so we extract `worker` as a local variable.
         let worker = self.worker();
         self.plan
@@ -1008,8 +1005,12 @@ impl<VM: VMBinding, P: PlanTraceObject<VM> + Plan<VM = VM>, const KIND: TraceKin
 
     fn process_edge(&mut self, slot: EdgeOf<Self>) {
         let object = slot.load();
+        if object.is_null() {
+            return;
+        }
         let new_object = self.trace_object(object);
-        if P::may_move_objects::<KIND>() {
+        debug_assert!(!new_object.is_null());
+        if P::may_move_objects::<KIND>() && new_object != object {
             slot.store(new_object);
         }
     }

src/util/reference_processor.rs

@@ -216,20 +216,23 @@ impl ReferenceProcessor {
         e: &mut E,
         referent: ObjectReference,
     ) -> ObjectReference {
+        debug_assert!(!referent.is_null());
         e.trace_object(referent)
     }
 
     fn get_forwarded_reference<E: ProcessEdgesWork>(
         e: &mut E,
         object: ObjectReference,
     ) -> ObjectReference {
+        debug_assert!(!object.is_null());
         e.trace_object(object)
     }
 
     fn keep_referent_alive<E: ProcessEdgesWork>(
         e: &mut E,
         referent: ObjectReference,
     ) -> ObjectReference {
+        debug_assert!(!referent.is_null());
         e.trace_object(referent)
     }
 
@@ -285,23 +288,29 @@ impl ReferenceProcessor {
             reference: ObjectReference,
         ) -> ObjectReference {
             let old_referent = <E::VM as VMBinding>::VMReferenceGlue::get_referent(reference);
-            let new_referent = ReferenceProcessor::get_forwarded_referent(trace, old_referent);
-            <E::VM as VMBinding>::VMReferenceGlue::set_referent(reference, new_referent);
-            let new_reference = ReferenceProcessor::get_forwarded_reference(trace, reference);
             {
                 use crate::vm::ObjectModel;
                 trace!(
                     "Forwarding reference: {} (size: {})",
                     reference,
                     <E::VM as VMBinding>::VMObjectModel::get_current_size(reference)
                 );
+            }
+
+            if !<E::VM as VMBinding>::VMReferenceGlue::is_referent_cleared(old_referent) {
+                let new_referent = ReferenceProcessor::get_forwarded_referent(trace, old_referent);
+                <E::VM as VMBinding>::VMReferenceGlue::set_referent(reference, new_referent);
+
                 trace!(
                     " referent: {} (forwarded to {})",
                     old_referent,
                     new_referent
                 );
-                trace!(" reference: forwarded to {}", new_reference);
             }
+
+            let new_reference = ReferenceProcessor::get_forwarded_reference(trace, reference);
+            trace!(" reference: forwarded to {}", new_reference);
+
             debug_assert!(
                 !new_reference.is_null(),
                 "reference {:?}'s forwarding pointer is NULL",

src/vm/edge_shape.rs

@@ -7,8 +7,13 @@ use atomic::Atomic;
 use crate::util::constants::{BYTES_IN_ADDRESS, LOG_BYTES_IN_ADDRESS};
 use crate::util::{Address, ObjectReference};
 
-/// An abstract edge.  An edge holds an object reference.  When we load from it, we get an
-/// ObjectReference; we can also store an ObjectReference into it.
+/// An `Edge` represents a slot in an object (a.k.a. a field), on the stack (i.e. a local variable)
+/// or any other places (such as global variables).  A slot may hold an object reference. We can
+/// load the object reference from it, and we can store an ObjectReference into it.  For some VMs,
+/// a slot may sometimes not hold an object reference.  For example, it can hold a special `NULL`
+/// pointer which does not point to any object, or it can hold a tagged non-reference value, such
+/// as small integers and special values such as `true`, `false`, `null` (a.k.a. "none", "nil",
+/// etc. for other VMs), `undefined`, etc.
 ///
 /// This intends to abstract out the differences of reference field representation among different
 /// VMs.  If the VM represent a reference field as a word that holds the pointer to the object, it
@@ -40,10 +45,31 @@ use crate::util::{Address, ObjectReference};
 /// semantics, such as whether it holds strong or weak references.  If a VM holds a weak reference
 /// in a word as a pointer, it can also use `SimpleEdge` for weak reference fields.
 pub trait Edge: Copy + Send + Debug + PartialEq + Eq + Hash {
-    /// Load object reference from the edge.
+    /// Load object reference from the slot.
+    ///
+    /// If the slot is not holding an object reference (For example, if it is holding NULL or a
+    /// tagged non-reference value.  See trait-level doc comment.), this method should return
+    /// `ObjectReference::NULL`.
+    ///
+    /// If the slot holds an object reference with tag bits, the returned value shall be the object
+    /// reference with the tag bits removed.
     fn load(&self) -> ObjectReference;
 
-    /// Store the object reference `object` into the edge.
+    /// Store the object reference `object` into the slot.
+    ///
+    /// If the slot holds an object reference with tag bits, this method must preserve the tag
+    /// bits while updating the object reference so that it points to the forwarded object given by
+    /// the parameter `object`.
+    ///
+    /// FIXME: This design is inefficient for handling object references with tag bits.  Consider
+    /// introducing a new updating function to do the load, trace and store in one function.
+    /// See: <https://github.com/mmtk/mmtk-core/issues/1033>
+    ///
+    /// FIXME: This method is currently used by both moving GC algorithms and the subsuming write
+    /// barrier ([`crate::memory_manager::object_reference_write`]).  The two reference writing
+    /// operations have different semantics, and need to be implemented differently if the VM
+    /// supports offsetted or tagged references.
+    /// See: <https://github.com/mmtk/mmtk-core/issues/1038>
     fn store(&self, object: ObjectReference);
 
     /// Prefetch the edge so that a subsequent `load` will be faster.

src/vm/scanning.rs

@@ -26,11 +26,14 @@ impl<ES: Edge, F: FnMut(ES)> EdgeVisitor<ES> for F {
 
 /// Callback trait of scanning functions that directly trace through edges.
 pub trait ObjectTracer {
-    /// Call this function for the content of each edge,
-    /// and assign the returned value back to the edge.
+    /// Call this function to trace through an object graph edge which points to `object`.
+    /// `object` must point to a valid object, and cannot be `ObjectReference::NULL`.
     ///
-    /// Note: This function is performance-critical.
-    /// Implementations should consider inlining if necessary.
+    /// The return value is the new object reference for `object` if it is moved, or `object` if
+    /// not moved.  If moved, the caller should update the slot that holds the reference to
+    /// `object` so that it points to the new location.
+    ///
+    /// Note: This function is performance-critical, therefore must be implemented efficiently.
     fn trace_object(&mut self, object: ObjectReference) -> ObjectReference;
 }