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Rollup merge of #101774 - Riolku:atomic-update-aba, r=m-ou-se
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Warn about safety of `fetch_update`

Specifically as it relates to the ABA problem.

`fetch_update` is a useful function, and one that isn't provided by, say, C++. However, this does not mean the function is magic. It is implemented in terms of `compare_exchange_weak`, and in particular, suffers from the ABA problem. See the following code, which is a naive implementation of `pop` in a lock-free queue:

```rust
fn pop(&self) -> Option<i32> {
    self.front.fetch_update(Ordering::Relaxed, Ordering::Acquire, |front| {
        if front == ptr::null_mut() {
            None
        }
        else {
            Some(unsafe { (*front).next })
        }
    }.ok()
}
```

This code is unsound if called from multiple threads because of the ABA problem. Specifically, suppose nodes are allocated with `Box`. Suppose the following sequence happens:

```
Initial: Queue is X -> Y.

Thread A: Starts popping, is pre-empted.
Thread B: Pops successfully, twice, leaving the queue empty.
Thread C: Pushes, and `Box` returns X (very common for allocators)
Thread A: Wakes up, sees the head is still X, and stores Y as the new head.
```

But `Y` is deallocated. This is undefined behaviour.

Adding a note about this problem to `fetch_update` should hopefully prevent users from being misled, and also, a link to this common problem is, in my opinion, an improvement to our docs on atomics.
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matthiaskrgr authored Oct 11, 2022
2 parents cadb37a + 3d28a1a commit d13f7ae
Showing 1 changed file with 26 additions and 0 deletions.
26 changes: 26 additions & 0 deletions library/core/src/sync/atomic.rs
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -955,6 +955,14 @@ impl AtomicBool {
/// **Note:** This method is only available on platforms that support atomic
/// operations on `u8`.
///
/// # Considerations
///
/// This method is not magic; it is not provided by the hardware.
/// It is implemented in terms of [`AtomicBool::compare_exchange_weak`], and suffers from the same drawbacks.
/// In particular, this method will not circumvent the [ABA Problem].
///
/// [ABA Problem]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABA_problem
///
/// # Examples
///
/// ```rust
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1422,6 +1430,14 @@ impl<T> AtomicPtr<T> {
/// **Note:** This method is only available on platforms that support atomic
/// operations on pointers.
///
/// # Considerations
///
/// This method is not magic; it is not provided by the hardware.
/// It is implemented in terms of [`AtomicPtr::compare_exchange_weak`], and suffers from the same drawbacks.
/// In particular, this method will not circumvent the [ABA Problem].
///
/// [ABA Problem]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABA_problem
///
/// # Examples
///
/// ```rust
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -2510,6 +2526,16 @@ macro_rules! atomic_int {
/// **Note**: This method is only available on platforms that support atomic operations on
#[doc = concat!("[`", $s_int_type, "`].")]
///
/// # Considerations
///
/// This method is not magic; it is not provided by the hardware.
/// It is implemented in terms of
#[doc = concat!("[`", stringify!($atomic_type), "::compare_exchange_weak`],")]
/// and suffers from the same drawbacks.
/// In particular, this method will not circumvent the [ABA Problem].
///
/// [ABA Problem]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABA_problem
///
/// # Examples
///
/// ```rust
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