anoymous page & heap

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1. what is the difference between anoymous page and heap
   In Linux, the anonymous page and the heap are both used for dynamic memory allocation within a process, but they serve different purposes and have some key differences:

Purpose: The anonymous page is a general term for a region of memory that is not associated with any specific file or device. It is used for various purposes, including dynamically allocated memory, stack storage, and other temporary data. On the other hand, the heap specifically refers to a region of memory used for dynamic memory allocation by the program at runtime.

Allocation: The anonymous page is typically managed by the operating system and is created when a program requests memory using functions like malloc() or mmap() without specifying a file or device. It provides a flexible memory allocation mechanism. In contrast, the heap is a specific area within the anonymous page used for dynamic memory allocation. The heap is managed by the program itself, usually through functions like malloc(), calloc(), realloc(), and free(). The program can request and release memory from the heap as needed.

Persistence: The anonymous page is generally temporary and volatile. It is not persisted on disk and is typically associated with the lifetime of a process. When the process terminates, the anonymous pages are freed by the operating system. In contrast, the heap can persist across multiple function calls and has a more flexible lifetime. Memory allocated on the heap can be retained and accessed until it is explicitly freed by the program using free().

Usage: The anonymous page is not limited to dynamic memory allocation. It can be used for other purposes such as stack storage, where each function call creates a stack frame on the anonymous page. Additionally, the anonymous page can be used for other temporary data structures or mappings. The heap, however, is specifically dedicated to dynamic memory allocation and provides a flexible data structure that allows the program to allocate and deallocate memory in a controlled manner.

In summary, the anonymous page is a broader concept that encompasses various uses of memory in Linux, including stack storage and dynamically allocated memory. The heap, on the other hand, is a specific area within the anonymous page that is managed by the program for dynamic memory allocation.

2. Attribute of page in linux
   In Linux, there are several memory mapping attributes apart from the anonymous attribute. These attributes determine how the memory mapping behaves and is used by the system. Some common memory mapping attributes include:

Anonymous: An anonymous mapping refers to a region of memory that is not associated with any specific file or device. It is typically used for dynamically allocated memory, stack storage, or other temporary data.

Private: A private mapping is a memory mapping that is copy-on-write. It means that changes made to the memory in one process do not affect the original data in another process or the underlying file. Each process gets its own private copy of the memory.

Shared: A shared mapping allows multiple processes to share the same region of memory. Changes made to the memory in one process are visible to all other processes sharing the memory. This is commonly used for inter-process communication and shared memory.

Read-only: A read-only mapping allows processes to read the memory but not modify its contents. It is useful for scenarios where the data should be protected from accidental modifications.

Executable: An executable mapping allows the memory region to contain executable code. This is commonly used for storing program instructions or libraries that can be executed directly from memory.

File-backed: A file-backed mapping maps a region of memory directly to a file on disk. Any modifications made to the memory will be reflected in the underlying file.

Fixed: A fixed mapping specifies a fixed address for the memory region. It allows the program to request a specific virtual address for the mapping instead of having the operating system choose the address.

These are some of the common memory mapping attributes in Linux. The choice of attribute depends on the specific requirements of the program and how the memory is intended to be used.

3. beside malloc and mmap, is there other fuction that can create anoymous page?
   Yes, besides malloc() and mmap(), there are other functions that can create anonymous pages in Linux. Here are a few examples:

calloc(): This function is similar to malloc(), but it additionally initializes the allocated memory to zero. calloc() can be used to create an anonymous page and initialize it with zero values.

sbrk(): This function can be used to adjust the program break, which represents the end of the data segment and the start of the heap. By calling sbrk() with a positive argument, you can extend the program’s data segment, effectively creating an anonymous page.

brk(): This function is used to set the program break to a specific address. By calling brk() with a suitable address, you can expand the program’s data segment and create an anonymous page.

mremap(): This function is primarily used to remap a portion of an existing mapping to a new size or location. It can also be used to create a new anonymous page by passing NULL as the starting address and specifying the desired size.

These functions provide alternative ways to allocate memory or adjust the program’s memory space, allowing the creation of anonymous pages for various purposes. However, it’s worth noting that malloc() and mmap() are generally the preferred methods for dynamic memory allocation and memory mapping in most cases.

4. which function above cannot create memory in heap?

The functions mmap(), sbrk(), brk(), and mremap() are not typically used to create memory in the heap. The heap is a specific area of memory managed by the program through functions like malloc(), calloc(), realloc(), and free(). These functions internally manage the heap and provide a higher-level interface for dynamic memory allocation.

On the other hand, the functions mentioned above are generally used for lower-level memory management or memory mapping purposes, rather than specifically creating memory in the heap. Here’s a breakdown of their typical usage:

mmap(): This function is used for memory mapping, allowing you to map files, devices, or anonymous memory to a process’s address space. While mmap() can be used to allocate memory, it is not directly associated with the heap.

sbrk() and brk(): These functions adjust the program’s break, which is the boundary between the data segment and the heap. They are used to increase or decrease the amount of memory available to the program. However, they are considered lower-level functions and are not typically used directly for heap memory allocation.

mremap(): This function is primarily used for remapping an existing memory mapping to a different size or location. It can also be used to create new mappings. However, it is not commonly used for dynamic memory allocation within the heap.

To create memory within the heap and manage it effectively, it is recommended to use the standard heap memory allocation functions like malloc(), calloc(), realloc(), and free(). These functions abstract the underlying memory management details and provide a higher-level interface for dynamic memory allocation and deallocation.

5. what is startbrk?
   startbrk refers to the starting address of the program’s break, which marks the end of the data segment and the beginning of the heap. The break is the boundary between the initialized data segment and the dynamically allocated memory (heap) in a process’s virtual address space.

The startbrk variable represents the initial value of the program’s break when the process is first started. It is the lowest address in the heap space. As the program dynamically allocates memory using functions like malloc(), calloc(), or realloc(), the break is increased to accommodate the requested memory.

The value of startbrk is usually determined by the operating system when the process is created and depends on factors such as the size of the program’s data segment. The brk() system call can be used to set the program’s break to a specific address, adjusting the available heap space.

It’s worth noting that direct manipulation of the program’s break using brk() and startbrk is not commonly required or recommended for general heap memory management. Higher-level functions like malloc() and free() provide a more convenient and reliable interface for dynamic memory allocation and deallocation.

图转自 https://blog.csdn.net/zsj100213/article/details/82121289