RFR: 8314480: Memory ordering spec updates in java.lang.ref [v8]

[David Holmes]

On Wed, 21 Feb 2024 01:20:24 GMT, Brent Christian <bchristi at openjdk.org> wrote:

>> Classes in the `java.lang.ref` package would benefit from an update to bring the spec in line with how the VM already behaves. The changes would focus on _happens-before_ edges at some key points during reference processing.
>> 
>> A couple key things we want to be able to say are:
>> - `Reference.reachabilityFence(x)` _happens-before_ reference processing occurs for 'x'.
>> - `Cleaner.register()` _happens-before_ the Cleaner thread runs the registered cleaning action.
>> 
>> This will bring Cleaner in line (or close) with the memory visibility guarantees made for finalizers in [JLS 17.4.5](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jls/se18/html/jls-17.html#jls-17.4.5):
>> _"There is a happens-before edge from the end of a constructor of an object to the start of a finalizer (§12.6) for that object."_
>
> Brent Christian has updated the pull request incrementally with one additional commit since the last revision:
> 
>   Updates to reachabilityFence()

src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/ref/package-info.java line 118:

> 116:  *
> 117:  * <li>The Cleaner thread dequeues a reference to a registered object before
> 118:  * running the cleaning action for that object.</li>

Do you want to rephrase this so that it too mentions `happens-before`? e.g.

Dequeuing of a reference to a registered object, by the Cleaner thread, 
happens-before the execution of the cleaning action for that object.

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PR Review Comment: https://git.openjdk.org/jdk/pull/16644#discussion_r1496767354