NativeScript / NativeScript/ios
isImplementedInClass leaks the losing sample instance on re-entrant or racing cache population
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Description
Problem
MethodMeta::isImplementedInClass (NativeScript/runtime/Metadata.mm) keeps a process-wide cache of [klass alloc]-created sample instances used to answer respondsToSelector: for classes whose alloc returns a different class or which forward messages. The cache is populated like this:
[klass alloc]runs outside the mutex — deliberately, becausealloccan trigger+initialize, which may run arbitrary code that re-enters this method (holding the lock would deadlock).- The lock is then taken and
sampleInstances.emplace(klass, instance)inserts.
When the emplace loses — the re-entrant call already populated the entry for the same class, or another thread raced — the freshly allocated instance is abandoned: one leaked object per lost race (Instruments shows these as e.g. a leaked UIAlertView / NSURLSessionConfiguration attributed to isImplementedInClass). The count varies run to run since it is timing-dependent.
Why the obvious fixes don't work
- Releasing the loser is unsafe: the instance is
alloc'd but neverinit'd, so-releaseruns-deallocagainst zero-filled ivars of an arbitrary framework class, on whatever thread the probe ran on (it demonstrably runs on worker threads). Benign for most classes, but a-deallocthat doesCFRelease/dispatch_releaseon a zero ivar traps, and UIKit teardown off the main thread is asserting territory. - Holding the lock across
allocdeadlocks via the+initializere-entry described above. - Parking losers in a static container merely converts the unreachable leak into intentional perpetual retention — it silences Instruments without reclaiming anything (tried and reverted in #458).
Potential solutions
- A re-entrancy-aware locking scheme (recursive mutex, or a reader/writer arrangement) so the populate path can be made atomic with respect to re-entrant probes without deadlocking through
+initialize. - Reuse already-
alloc-ed objects: when a sample for that Class is requested (or something else calls[thatClass alloc]through the runtime), hand out / consume the cached instance instead of allocating another, so a losing instance gets used rather than abandoned.
The leak site carries a comment pointing at this issue.
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start in NativeScript/runtime/Metadata.mm at MethodMeta::isImplementedInClass and the comment pointing to this issue; trace sampleInstances population, mutex use, and re-entrant alloc behavior. Done means eliminating abandoned sample instances during re-entrant or racing population without deadlocking, unsafe release, or intentional perpetual retention.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- cpp, objective-c
- Domain
- mobile-dev
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Active
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 38/100