Malloc(3) in modern Virtual Memory environments.

Revised Fri Apr 5 12:50:07 1996

Poul-Henning Kamp

<phk@FreeBSD.org>
Den Andensidste Viking
Valbygaardsvej 8
DK-4200 Slagelse
Denmark

ABSTRACT

Malloc/free is one of the oldest parts of the C language environment and obviously the world has changed a bit since it was first made. The fact that most UNIX kernels have changed from swap/segment to virtual memory/page based memory management has not been sufficiently reflected in the implementations of the malloc/free API.

      A new implementation was designed, written, tested and bench-marked with an eye on the workings and performance characteristics of modern Virtual Memory systems.

Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. The kernel and memory
• 3. Malloc and free
• 4. The problems
• 5. Alternative implementations
• 6. Performance
• 7. Implementation
• 8. Bells and whistles.
• 9. The road not yet taken.
• 10. Conclusion and experience.
• 11. Acknowledgements & references.