Suggestion: debug-assert that the allocator returns aligned memory
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- Dominant language
- Rust
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Description
If the global allocator returns unaligned memory, the standard library catches it very late. Take this code:
#[global_allocator]
static GLOBAL: AccountingAllocator<mimalloc::MiMalloc> =
AccountingAllocator::new(mimalloc::MiMalloc);
#[repr(C, align(256))]
pub struct BigStruct { … }
fn collect() {
assert_eq!(align_of::<BigStruct>(), 256);
assert_eq!(size_of::<BigStruct>(), 256);
let vec: Vec<T> = std::iter::once(BigStruct{…}).collect();
dbg!(vec.as_ptr() as usize % std::mem::align_of::<T>()); // Sometimes prints 64
let slice = vec.as_slice(); // panics in debug builds with:
// 'unsafe precondition(s) violated: slice::from_raw_parts requires the pointer to be aligned and non-null, and the total size of the slice not to exceed `isize::MAX`'
}
Because of a bug in MiMalloc, the Vec gets non-aligned memory.
This is not discovered until vec.as_slice calls slice::from_raw_parts which has a debug-assert.
I spent a lot of time looking for this bug before I realized it was MiMalloc that was to blame.
I suggest we add a debug-assert the standard library to check that the allocator returns aligned memory, i.e. here:
That would then report "The global allocator returned non-aligned memory", directly pointing the user at the problem, saving a lol of time for the next person.
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 by reading library/alloc/src/raw_vec.rs around lines 442-478 and compare the allocator behavior in the provided global-allocator reproducer. Verify the unaligned allocation scenario and determine how the diagnostic should identify the global allocator. Done means the failure is detected there with a clear message pointing to the allocator problem.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- rust
- Domain
- operating-systems
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Estimated time
- 1-2 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 48/100