1 /*
2  * Copyright (C) 2016 The Android Open Source Project
3  *
4  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
5  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
6  * You may obtain a copy of the License at
7  *
8  *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
9  *
10  * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
11  * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
12  * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
13  * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
14  * limitations under the License.
15  */
16 
17 package dalvik.annotation.optimization;
18 
19 import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
20 import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
21 import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
22 import java.lang.annotation.Target;
23 
24 /**
25  * An ART runtime built-in optimization for {@code native} methods to speed up JNI transitions:
26  * Compared to normal {@code native} methods, {@code native} methods that are annotated with
27  * {@literal @}{@code FastNative} use faster JNI transitions from managed code to the native code
28  * and back. Calls from a {@literal @}{@code FastNative} method implementation to JNI functions
29  * that access the managed heap or call managed code also have faster internal transitions.
30  *
31  * <p>
32  * While executing a {@literal @}{@code FastNative} method, the garbage collection cannot
33  * suspend the thread for essential work and may become blocked. Use with caution. Do not use
34  * this annotation for long-running methods, including usually-fast, but generally unbounded,
35  * methods. In particular, the code should not perform significant I/O operations or acquire
36  * native locks that can be held for a long time. (Some logging or native allocations, which
37  * internally acquire native locks for a short time, are generally OK. However, as the cost
38  * of several such operations adds up, the {@literal @}{@code FastNative} performance gain
39  * can become insignificant and overshadowed by potential GC delays.)
40  * Acquiring managed locks is OK as it internally allows thread suspension.
41  * </p>
42  *
43  * <p>
44  * For performance critical methods that need this annotation, it is strongly recommended
45  * to explicitly register the method(s) with JNI {@code RegisterNatives} instead of relying
46  * on the built-in dynamic JNI linking.
47  * </p>
48  *
49  * <p>
50  * The {@literal @}{@code FastNative} optimization was implemented for system use since
51  * Android 8 and became CTS-tested public API in Android 14. Developers aiming for maximum
52  * compatibility should avoid calling {@literal @}{@code FastNative} methods on Android 13-.
53  * The optimization is likely to work also on Android 8-13 devices (after all, it was used
54  * in the system, albeit without the strong CTS guarantees), especially those that use
55  * unmodified versions of ART, such as Android 12+ devices with the official ART Module.
56  * The built-in dynamic JNI linking is working only in Android 12+, the explicit registration
57  * with JNI {@code RegisterNatives} is strictly required for running on Android versions 8-11.
58  * The annotation is ignored on Android 7-.
59  * </p>
60  *
61  * <p>
62  * <b>Deadlock Warning:</b> As a rule of thumb, any native locks acquired in a
63  * {@literal @}{@link FastNative} call (despite the above warning that this is an unbounded
64  * operation that can block GC for a long time) must be released before returning to managed code.
65  * </p>
66  *
67  * <p>
68  * Say some code does:
69  *
70  * <code>
71  * fast_jni_call_to_grab_a_lock();
72  * does_some_java_work();
73  * fast_jni_call_to_release_a_lock();
74  * </code>
75  *
76  * <p>
77  * This code can lead to deadlocks. Say thread 1 just finishes
78  * {@code fast_jni_call_to_grab_a_lock()} and is in {@code does_some_java_work()}.
79  * GC kicks in and suspends thread 1. Thread 2 now is in {@code fast_jni_call_to_grab_a_lock()}
80  * but is blocked on grabbing the native lock since it's held by thread 1.
81  * Now thread suspension can't finish since thread 2 can't be suspended since it's doing
82  * FastNative JNI.
83  * </p>
84  *
85  * <p>
86  * Normal JNI doesn't have the issue since once it's in native code,
87  * it is considered suspended from java's point of view.
88  * FastNative JNI however doesn't do the state transition done by JNI.
89  * </p>
90  *
91  * <p>
92  * Note that even in FastNative methods you <b>are</b> allowed to
93  * allocate objects and make upcalls into Java code. A call from Java to
94  * a FastNative function and back to Java is equivalent to a call from one Java
95  * method to another. What's forbidden in a FastNative method is blocking
96  * the calling thread in some non-Java code and thereby preventing the thread
97  * from responding to requests from the garbage collector to enter the suspended
98  * state.
99  * </p>
100  *
101  * <p>
102  * Has no effect when used with non-native methods.
103  * </p>
104  */
105 @Retention(RetentionPolicy.CLASS)  // Save memory, don't instantiate as an object at runtime.
106 @Target(ElementType.METHOD)
107 public @interface FastNative {}
108