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@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ In Python, multithreading is ineffective at concurrency for CPU bound tasks |
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due to the GIL (global interpreter lock). Extension modules can release |
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the GIL in CPU bound tasks, but that isn't an option in pure Python. |
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Users use libraries such as multiprocessing, subprocess, concurrent.futures.ProcessPoolExecutor, |
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etc, to work around the GIL. These modules call fork() underneath the hood. Various issues have |
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etc, to work around the GIL. These modules call ```fork()``` underneath the hood. Various issues have |
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been reported when using these modules with gRPC Python. gRPC Python wraps |
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gRPC core, which uses multithreading for performance, and hence doesn't support fork(). |
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gRPC core, which uses multithreading for performance, and hence doesn't support ```fork()```. |
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Historically, we didn't support forking in gRPC, but some users seemed |
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to be doing fine until their code started to break on version 1.6. This was |
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likely caused by the addition of background c-threads and a background |
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@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ has been used can result in deadlocks/corrupted wire data. |
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## 1.9 ## |
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A regression was noted in cases where users are doing fork/exec. This |
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was due to pthread_atfork() handler that was added in 1.7 to partially |
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was due to ```pthread_atfork()``` handler that was added in 1.7 to partially |
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support forking in gRPC. A deadlock can happen when pthread_atfork |
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handler is running, and an application thread is calling into gRPC. |
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We have provided a workaround for this issue by allowing users to turn |
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@ -31,10 +31,10 @@ This should be set whenever a user expects to always call exec |
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immediately following fork. It will disable the fork handlers. |
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## 1.7 ## |
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A pthread_atfork() handler was added in 1.7 to automatically shut down |
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A ```pthread_atfork()``` handler was added in 1.7 to automatically shut down |
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the background c-threads when fork was called. This does not shut down the |
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background Python thread, so users could not have any open channels when |
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forking(). |
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forking. |
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# Future Work # |
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