NAME
Data::Sync::Shared - Shared-memory synchronization primitives for Linux
SYNOPSIS
use Data::Sync::Shared;
# Semaphore — bounded counter for resource limiting
my $sem = Data::Sync::Shared::Semaphore->new('/tmp/sem.shm', 4);
$sem->acquire; # block until available
$sem->acquire(1.5); # with timeout
$sem->try_acquire; # non-blocking
$sem->acquire_n(3); # acquire N permits atomically
$sem->release;
$sem->release(2); # release N permits
my $n = $sem->drain; # acquire all, return count
{
my $g = $sem->acquire_guard; # auto-release on scope exit
}
# Barrier — N processes rendezvous
my $bar = Data::Sync::Shared::Barrier->new('/tmp/bar.shm', 3);
my $leader = $bar->wait; # block until all 3 arrive
my $leader = $bar->wait(5.0); # with timeout (-1=timeout)
# RWLock — reader-writer lock
my $rw = Data::Sync::Shared::RWLock->new('/tmp/rw.shm');
$rw->rdlock; $rw->rdunlock;
$rw->wrlock; $rw->wrunlock;
$rw->try_rdlock; $rw->try_wrlock;
$rw->downgrade; # wrlock -> rdlock atomically
{
my $g = $rw->wrlock_guard; # auto-release on scope exit
}
# Condvar — condition variable with built-in mutex
my $cv = Data::Sync::Shared::Condvar->new('/tmp/cv.shm');
$cv->lock;
$cv->try_lock; # non-blocking
$cv->wait; # atomically unlock + wait + re-lock
$cv->wait(2.0); # with timeout
$cv->signal; # wake one waiter
$cv->broadcast; # wake all waiters
$cv->wait_while(sub { !$ready }, 5.0); # predicate loop
$cv->unlock;
# Once — one-time initialization gate
my $once = Data::Sync::Shared::Once->new('/tmp/once.shm');
if ($once->enter) { # or enter($timeout)
do_init();
$once->done;
}
# All primitives support anonymous (fork-inherited) mode:
my $sem = Data::Sync::Shared::Semaphore->new(undef, 4);
# And memfd mode (fd-passable):
my $sem = Data::Sync::Shared::Semaphore->new_memfd("my_sem", 4);
my $fd = $sem->memfd;
DESCRIPTION
Data::Sync::Shared provides five cross-process synchronization primitives stored in file-backed shared memory (mmap(MAP_SHARED)), using Linux futex for efficient blocking.
Linux-only. Requires 64-bit Perl.
Primitives
-
CAS-based counting semaphore.
acquiredecrements (blocks at 0),releaseincrements (capped at max). Useful for cross-process resource limiting (connection pools, worker slots). -
N processes call
wait; all block until the last one arrives, then all proceed. Returns true for one "leader" process. Generation counter tracks how many times the barrier has tripped. -
Multiple concurrent readers or one exclusive writer. Readers use
rdlock/rdunlock, writers usewrlock/wrunlock. Non-blockingtry_rdlock/try_wrlockvariants available. -
Includes a built-in mutex.
lock/unlockprotect the predicate.waitatomically releases the mutex and sleeps; on wakeup it re-acquires the mutex.signalwakes one waiter,broadcastwakes all. -
enterreturns true for exactly one process (the initializer); all others block untildoneis called. If the initializer dies, waiters detect the stale PID and a new initializer is elected.
Features
File-backed mmap for cross-process sharing
Futex-based blocking (no busy-spin, no pthread)
PID-based stale lock recovery (dead process detection)
Anonymous and memfd modes
Timeouts on all blocking operations
eventfd integration for event-loop wakeup
Crash Safety
All primitives encode the holder's PID in the lock word. If a process dies while holding a lock, other processes detect the stale lock within 2 seconds via kill(pid, 0) and automatically recover.
Security
The shared memory region (mmap) is writable by all processes that open it. A malicious process with write access to the backing file or memfd can corrupt header fields (lock words, counters, parameters) and cause other processes to deadlock, spin, or behave incorrectly. Do not share backing files with untrusted processes. Use anonymous mode or memfd with restricted fd passing for isolation.
Guard Objects
All locking primitives provide scope-based guards that auto-release on scope exit (including exceptions):
{
my $g = $rw->rdlock_guard;
# ... read operations ...
} # rdunlock called automatically
{
my $g = $sem->acquire_guard(3); # acquire 3 permits
# ... use resource ...
} # release(3) called automatically
{
my $g = $cv->lock_guard;
$cv->wait_while(sub { !$ready }, 5.0);
} # unlock called automatically
PRIMITIVES
Data::Sync::Shared::Semaphore
Constructors
my $sem = Data::Sync::Shared::Semaphore->new($path, $max);
my $sem = Data::Sync::Shared::Semaphore->new($path, $max, $initial);
my $sem = Data::Sync::Shared::Semaphore->new(undef, $max);
my $sem = Data::Sync::Shared::Semaphore->new_memfd($name, $max);
my $sem = Data::Sync::Shared::Semaphore->new_memfd($name, $max, $initial);
my $sem = Data::Sync::Shared::Semaphore->new_from_fd($fd);
$max is the maximum permit count. $initial defaults to $max (fully available); set to 0 to start with no available permits.
Operations
my $ok = $sem->acquire; # block until available (infinite)
my $ok = $sem->acquire($timeout); # block with timeout (seconds)
my $ok = $sem->try_acquire; # non-blocking, false if unavailable
my $ok = $sem->acquire_n($n); # acquire N permits atomically
my $ok = $sem->acquire_n($n, $timeout);
my $ok = $sem->try_acquire_n($n); # non-blocking N-permit acquire
$sem->release; # release one permit
$sem->release($n); # release N permits (clamped at max)
my $n = $sem->drain; # acquire all available, return count
my $val = $sem->value; # current available count
my $max = $sem->max; # maximum permits
Guard
my $g = $sem->acquire_guard; # acquire 1, release on scope exit
my $g = $sem->acquire_guard($n); # acquire N
my $g = $sem->acquire_guard($n, $timeout); # with timeout, undef on fail
Data::Sync::Shared::Barrier
Constructors
my $bar = Data::Sync::Shared::Barrier->new($path, $parties);
my $bar = Data::Sync::Shared::Barrier->new(undef, $parties);
my $bar = Data::Sync::Shared::Barrier->new_memfd($name, $parties);
my $bar = Data::Sync::Shared::Barrier->new_from_fd($fd);
$parties must be >= 2.
Operations
my $r = $bar->wait; # block until all parties arrive
my $r = $bar->wait($timeout); # with timeout
Returns: 1 = leader (last to arrive), 0 = non-leader, -1 = timeout. On timeout, the barrier is broken (reset to 0 arrived, generation bumped) and all other waiting parties are released.
my $gen = $bar->generation; # how many times barrier has tripped
my $n = $bar->arrived; # currently arrived count
my $n = $bar->parties; # party count
$bar->reset; # force-reset barrier state
Data::Sync::Shared::RWLock
Constructors
my $rw = Data::Sync::Shared::RWLock->new($path);
my $rw = Data::Sync::Shared::RWLock->new(undef);
my $rw = Data::Sync::Shared::RWLock->new_memfd($name);
my $rw = Data::Sync::Shared::RWLock->new_from_fd($fd);
Operations
$rw->rdlock; # block until read lock acquired
$rw->rdlock($timeout); # with timeout (croaks on timeout)
$rw->wrlock; # block until write lock acquired
$rw->wrlock($timeout); # with timeout (croaks on timeout)
my $ok = $rw->try_rdlock; # non-blocking
my $ok = $rw->try_wrlock; # non-blocking
my $ok = $rw->rdlock_timed($timeout); # returns false on timeout
my $ok = $rw->wrlock_timed($timeout); # returns false on timeout
$rw->rdunlock;
$rw->wrunlock;
$rw->downgrade; # convert wrlock to rdlock atomically
Guards
my $g = $rw->rdlock_guard; # rdunlock on scope exit
my $g = $rw->rdlock_guard($timeout); # with timeout (croaks on fail)
my $g = $rw->wrlock_guard;
my $g = $rw->wrlock_guard($timeout);
Data::Sync::Shared::Condvar
Constructors
my $cv = Data::Sync::Shared::Condvar->new($path);
my $cv = Data::Sync::Shared::Condvar->new(undef);
my $cv = Data::Sync::Shared::Condvar->new_memfd($name);
my $cv = Data::Sync::Shared::Condvar->new_from_fd($fd);
Operations
$cv->lock; # acquire built-in mutex
$cv->unlock; # release built-in mutex
my $ok = $cv->try_lock; # non-blocking
my $ok = $cv->wait; # unlock, wait for signal, re-lock
my $ok = $cv->wait($timeout); # with timeout
$cv->signal; # wake one waiter
$cv->broadcast; # wake all waiters
my $ok = $cv->wait_while(\&pred); # loop until pred returns false
my $ok = $cv->wait_while(\&pred, $timeout); # with timeout
wait must be called while holding the mutex. Returns 1 on signal/broadcast, 0 on timeout. The mutex is always re-acquired before wait returns.
wait_while calls wait in a loop until the predicate coderef returns false. Returns 1 if predicate became false, 0 on timeout.
Guard
my $g = $cv->lock_guard; # unlock on scope exit
Data::Sync::Shared::Once
Constructors
my $once = Data::Sync::Shared::Once->new($path);
my $once = Data::Sync::Shared::Once->new(undef);
my $once = Data::Sync::Shared::Once->new_memfd($name);
my $once = Data::Sync::Shared::Once->new_from_fd($fd);
Operations
my $init = $once->enter; # try + wait, infinite
my $init = $once->enter($timeout); # with timeout
$once->done; # mark initialization complete
my $ok = $once->is_done; # check without blocking
$once->reset; # reset to uninitialized state
enter returns true for exactly one process (the initializer). All others block until done is called, then return false. If the initializer dies, stale PID detection elects a new one.
Common Methods
All primitives support:
my $p = $obj->path; # backing file path (undef if anon)
my $fd = $obj->memfd; # memfd fd (-1 if file-backed/anon)
$obj->sync; # msync — flush to disk
$obj->unlink; # remove backing file
Class->unlink($path); # class method form
my $s = $obj->stats; # diagnostic hashref
Stats keys vary by type. All counters are approximate under concurrency.
Semaphore: value, max, waiters, mmap_size, acquires, releases, waits, timeouts, recoveries.
Barrier: parties, arrived, generation, waiters, mmap_size, waits, releases, timeouts.
RWLock: state ("unlocked", "read_locked", "write_locked"), readers, waiters, mmap_size, acquires, releases, recoveries.
Condvar: waiters, signals, mmap_size, acquires, releases, waits, timeouts, recoveries.
Once: state ("init", "running", "done"), is_done, waiters, mmap_size, acquires, releases, waits, timeouts, recoveries.
eventfd Integration
my $fd = $obj->eventfd; # create eventfd, returns fd
$obj->eventfd_set($fd); # use existing fd (e.g. from fork)
my $fd = $obj->fileno; # current eventfd (-1 if none)
$obj->notify; # signal eventfd
my $n = $obj->eventfd_consume; # drain notification counter
Notification is opt-in. Use with EV or other event loops.
SEE ALSO
Data::Buffer::Shared - typed shared array
Data::HashMap::Shared - concurrent hash table
Data::Queue::Shared - FIFO queue
Data::PubSub::Shared - publish-subscribe ring
Data::ReqRep::Shared - request-reply
Data::Pool::Shared - fixed-size object pool
Data::Stack::Shared - LIFO stack
Data::Deque::Shared - double-ended queue
Data::Log::Shared - append-only log (WAL)
Data::Heap::Shared - priority queue
Data::Graph::Shared - directed weighted graph
AUTHOR
vividsnow
LICENSE
This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.