CharsToNameCanonicalizer (Jackson-core 2.2.0 API)
Date: 2013-04-22

com.fasterxml.jackson.core.sym

## Class CharsToNameCanonicalizer

- java.lang.Object
- - com.fasterxml.jackson.core.sym.CharsToNameCanonicalizer

-     public final class CharsToNameCanonicalizer
      extends Object

  This class is a kind of specialized type-safe Map, from char array to String value. Specialization means that in addition to type-safety and specific access patterns (key char array, Value optionally interned String; values added on access if necessary), and that instances are meant to be used concurrently, but by using well-defined mechanisms to obtain such concurrently usable instances. Main use for the class is to store symbol table information for things like compilers and parsers; especially when number of symbols (keywords) is limited.

  For optimal performance, usage pattern should be one where matches should be very common (especially after "warm-up"), and as with most hash-based maps/sets, that hash codes are uniformly distributed. Also, collisions are slightly more expensive than with HashMap or HashSet, since hash codes are not used in resolving collisions; that is, equals() comparison is done with all symbols in same bucket index.
  Finally, rehashing is also more expensive, as hash codes are not stored; rehashing requires all entries' hash codes to be recalculated. Reason for not storing hash codes is reduced memory usage, hoping for better memory locality.

  Usual usage pattern is to create a single "master" instance, and either use that instance in sequential fashion, or to create derived "child" instances, which after use, are asked to return possible symbol additions to master instance. In either case benefit is that symbol table gets initialized so that further uses are more efficient, as eventually all symbols needed will already be in symbol table. At that point no more Symbol String allocations are needed, nor changes to symbol table itself.

  Note that while individual SymbolTable instances are NOT thread-safe (much like generic collection classes), concurrently used "child" instances can be freely used without synchronization. However, using master table concurrently with child instances can only be done if access to master instance is read-only (i.e. no modifications done).

- - ### Field Summary

    Fields
    Modifier and Type | Field and Description
    --- | ---
    `protected com.fasterxml.jackson.core.sym.CharsToNameCanonicalizer.Bucket[]` | `_buckets` Overflow buckets; if primary doesn't match, lookup is done from here.
    `protected boolean` | `_canonicalize` Whether any canonicalization should be attempted (whether using intern or not)
    `protected boolean` | `_dirty` Flag that indicates if any changes have been made to the data; used to both determine if bucket array needs to be copied when (first) change is made, and potentially if updated bucket list is to be resync'ed back to master instance.
    `protected int` | `_indexMask` Mask used to get index from hash values; equal to `_buckets.length - 1`, when _buckets.length is a power of two.
    `protected boolean` | `_intern` Whether canonical symbol Strings are to be intern()ed before added to the table or not
    `protected int` | `_longestCollisionList` We need to keep track of the longest collision list; this is needed both to indicate problems with attacks and to allow flushing for other cases.
    `protected CharsToNameCanonicalizer` | `_parent` Sharing of learnt symbols is done by optional linking of symbol table instances with their parents.
    `protected int` | `_size` Current size (number of entries); needed to know if and when rehash.
    `protected int` | `_sizeThreshold` Limit that indicates maximum size this instance can hold before it needs to be expanded and rehashed.
    `protected String[]` | `_symbols` Primary matching symbols; it's expected most match occur from here.
    `protected static int` | `DEFAULT_TABLE_SIZE` Default initial table size.
    `static int` | `HASH_MULT`
    `protected static int` | `MAX_TABLE_SIZE` Let's not expand symbol tables past some maximum size; this should protected against OOMEs caused by large documents with uniquer (~= random) names.

  - ### Method Summary

    Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method and Description
    --- | ---
    `int` | `_hashToIndex(int rawHash)` Helper method that takes in a "raw" hash value, shuffles it as necessary, and truncates to be used as the index.
    `int` | `bucketCount()` Method for checking number of primary hash buckets this symbol table uses.
    `int` | `calcHash(char[] buffer, int start, int len)` Implementation of a hashing method for variable length Strings.
    `int` | `calcHash(String key)`
    `int` | `collisionCount()` Method mostly needed by unit tests; calculates number of entries that are in collision list.
    `static CharsToNameCanonicalizer` | `createRoot()` Method called to create root canonicalizer for a `JsonFactory` instance.
    `protected static CharsToNameCanonicalizer` | `createRoot(int hashSeed)`
    `String` | `findSymbol(char[] buffer, int start, int len, int h)`
    `int` | `hashSeed()`
    `CharsToNameCanonicalizer` | `makeChild(boolean canonicalize, boolean intern)` "Factory" method; will create a new child instance of this symbol table.
    `int` | `maxCollisionLength()` Method mostly needed by unit tests; calculates length of the longest collision chain.
    `boolean` | `maybeDirty()`
    `void` | `release()`
    `protected void` | `reportTooManyCollisions(int maxLen)`
    `int` | `size()`

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

      `clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`

- - ### Field Detail

    - #### HASH_MULT

          public static final int HASH_MULT

      See Also:
        Constant Field Values

    - #### DEFAULT_TABLE_SIZE

          protected static final int DEFAULT_TABLE_SIZE

      Default initial table size. Shouldn't be miniscule (as there's cost to both array realloc and rehashing), but let's keep it reasonably small nonetheless. For systems that properly reuse factories it doesn't matter either way; but when recreating factories often, initial overhead may dominate.
      See Also:
        Constant Field Values

    - #### MAX_TABLE_SIZE

          protected static final int MAX_TABLE_SIZE

      Let's not expand symbol tables past some maximum size; this should protected against OOMEs caused by large documents with uniquer (~= random) names.
      See Also:
        Constant Field Values

    - #### _parent

          protected CharsToNameCanonicalizer _parent

      Sharing of learnt symbols is done by optional linking of symbol table instances with their parents. When parent linkage is defined, and child instance is released (call to `release`), parent's shared tables may be updated from the child instance.

    - #### _intern

          protected final boolean _intern

      Whether canonical symbol Strings are to be intern()ed before added to the table or not

    - #### _canonicalize

          protected final boolean _canonicalize

      Whether any canonicalization should be attempted (whether using intern or not)

    - #### _symbols

          protected String[] _symbols

      Primary matching symbols; it's expected most match occur from here.

    - #### _buckets

          protected com.fasterxml.jackson.core.sym.CharsToNameCanonicalizer.Bucket[] _buckets

      Overflow buckets; if primary doesn't match, lookup is done from here.

      Note: Number of buckets is half of number of symbol entries, on assumption there's less need for buckets.

    - #### _size

          protected int _size

      Current size (number of entries); needed to know if and when rehash.

    - #### _sizeThreshold

          protected int _sizeThreshold

      Limit that indicates maximum size this instance can hold before it needs to be expanded and rehashed. Calculated using fill factor passed in to constructor.

    - #### _indexMask

          protected int _indexMask

      Mask used to get index from hash values; equal to `_buckets.length - 1`, when _buckets.length is a power of two.

    - #### _longestCollisionList

          protected int _longestCollisionList

      We need to keep track of the longest collision list; this is needed both to indicate problems with attacks and to allow flushing for other cases.
      Since:
        2.1

    - #### _dirty

          protected boolean _dirty

      Flag that indicates if any changes have been made to the data; used to both determine if bucket array needs to be copied when (first) change is made, and potentially if updated bucket list is to be resync'ed back to master instance.

  - ### Method Detail

    - #### createRoot

          public static CharsToNameCanonicalizer createRoot()

      Method called to create root canonicalizer for a `JsonFactory` instance. Root instance is never used directly; its main use is for storing and sharing underlying symbol arrays as needed.

    - #### createRoot

          protected static CharsToNameCanonicalizer createRoot(int hashSeed)

    - #### makeChild

          public CharsToNameCanonicalizer makeChild(boolean canonicalize,
                                           boolean intern)

      "Factory" method; will create a new child instance of this symbol table. It will be a copy-on-write instance, ie. it will only use read-only copy of parent's data, but when changes are needed, a copy will be created.

      Note: while this method is synchronized, it is generally not safe to both use makeChild/mergeChild, AND to use instance actively. Instead, a separate 'root' instance should be used on which only makeChild/mergeChild are called, but instance itself is not used as a symbol table.

    - #### release

          public void release()

    - #### size

          public int size()

    - #### bucketCount

          public int bucketCount()

      Method for checking number of primary hash buckets this symbol table uses.
      Since:
        2.1

    - #### maybeDirty

          public boolean maybeDirty()

    - #### hashSeed

          public int hashSeed()

    - #### collisionCount

          public int collisionCount()

      Method mostly needed by unit tests; calculates number of entries that are in collision list. Value can be at most (`size()` - 1), but should usually be much lower, ideally 0.
      Since:
        2.1

    - #### maxCollisionLength

          public int maxCollisionLength()

      Method mostly needed by unit tests; calculates length of the longest collision chain. This should typically be a low number, but may be up to `size()` - 1 in the pathological case
      Since:
        2.1

    - #### findSymbol

          public String findSymbol(char[] buffer,
                          int start,
                          int len,
                          int h)

    - #### _hashToIndex

          public int _hashToIndex(int rawHash)

      Helper method that takes in a "raw" hash value, shuffles it as necessary, and truncates to be used as the index.

    - #### calcHash

          public int calcHash(char[] buffer,
                     int start,
                     int len)

      Implementation of a hashing method for variable length Strings. Most of the time intention is that this calculation is done by caller during parsing, not here; however, sometimes it needs to be done for parsed "String" too.
      Parameters:
        `len` - Length of String; has to be at least 1 (caller guarantees this pre-condition)

    - #### calcHash

          public int calcHash(String key)

    - #### reportTooManyCollisions

          protected void reportTooManyCollisions(int maxLen)

      Since:
        2.1

Copyright © 2012-2013 FasterXML. All Rights Reserved.