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[PATCH v3 03/10] upload-pack: prefer flushing data over sending keepalive

From
Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im>
Date
Mar 10, 2026, 13:24 UTC
Message-ID
<20260310-pks-upload-pack-write-contention-v3-3-8bc97aa3e267@pks.im>
In-Reply-To
<20260310-pks-upload-pack-write-contention-v3-0-8bc97aa3e267@pks.im>

When using the sideband in git-upload-pack(1) we know to send out keepalive packets in case generating the pack takes too long. These keepalives take the form of a simple empty pktline.

In the preceding commit we have adapted git-upload-pack(1) to buffer data more aggressively before sending it to the client. This creates an obvious optimization opportunity: when we hit the keepalive timeout while we still hold on to some buffered data, then it makes more sense to flush out the data instead of sending the empty keepalive packet.

This is overall not going to be a significant win. Most keepalives will come before the pack data starts, and once pack-objects starts producing data, it tends to do so pretty consistently. And of course we can't send data before we see the PACK header, because the whole point is to buffer the early bit waiting for packfile URIs. But the optimization is easy enough to realize.

Do so and flush out data instead of sending an empty pktline. While at it, drop the useless

Suggested-by: Jeff King <peff@peff.net>
Signed-off-by: Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im>
---
 upload-pack.c | 21 +++++++++++++++------
 1 file changed, 15 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)
diff --git a/upload-pack.c b/upload-pack.c
index f6f380a601..7a165d226d 100644
--- a/upload-pack.c
+++ b/upload-pack.c
@@ -466,18 +466,27 @@ static void create_pack_file(struct upload_pack_data *pack_data,
 		}
 
 		/*
-		 * We hit the keepalive timeout without saying anything; send
-		 * an empty message on the data sideband just to let the other
-		 * side know we're still working on it, but don't have any data
-		 * yet.
+		 * We hit the keepalive timeout without saying anything. If we
+		 * have pending data we flush it out to the caller now.
+		 * Otherwise, we send an empty message on the data sideband
+		 * just to let the other side know we're still working on it,
+		 * but don't have any data yet.
 		 *
 		 * If we don't have a sideband channel, there's no room in the
 		 * protocol to say anything, so those clients are just out of
 		 * luck.
 		 */
 		if (!ret && pack_data->use_sideband) {
-			static const char buf[] = "0005\1";
-			write_or_die(1, buf, 5);
+			if (output_state->packfile_started && output_state->used > 1) {
+				send_client_data(1, output_state->buffer, output_state->used - 1,
+						 pack_data->use_sideband);
+				output_state->buffer[0] = output_state->buffer[output_state->used - 1];
+				output_state->used = 1;
+			} else {
+				static const char buf[] = "0005\1";
+				write_or_die(1, buf, 5);
+			}
+
 			last_sent_ms = now_ms;
 		}
 	}
-- 
2.53.0.880.g73c4285caa.dirty
Previous: Patrick SteinhardtNext: Junio C Hamano
Message 40 of 53 in “upload-pack: reduce lock contention when writing packfile data”
  1. 0/2 upload-pack: reduce lock contention when writing packfile dataPatrick Steinhardt, Feb 27, 2026
  2. 1/2 upload-pack: fix debug statement when flushing packfile dataPatrick Steinhardt, Feb 27, 2026
  3. 2/2 upload-pack: reduce lock contention when writing packfile dataPatrick Steinhardt, Feb 27, 2026
  4. brian m. carlsonFeb 27, 2026
  5. Patrick SteinhardtFeb 27, 2026
  6. Junio C HamanoFeb 27, 2026
  7. Jeff KingFeb 27, 2026
  8. Patrick SteinhardtMar 2, 2026
  9. Jeff KingMar 2, 2026
  10. Patrick SteinhardtMar 3, 2026
  11. Jeff KingMar 3, 2026
  12. Patrick SteinhardtMar 3, 2026
  13. 00/10 upload-pack: reduce lock contention when writing packfile dataPatrick Steinhardt, Mar 3, 2026
  14. 01/10 upload-pack: fix debug statement when flushing packfile dataPatrick Steinhardt, Mar 3, 2026
  15. 02/10 upload-pack: adapt keepalives based on bufferingPatrick Steinhardt, Mar 3, 2026
  16. Jeff KingMar 5, 2026
  17. Patrick SteinhardtMar 10, 2026
  18. 03/10 upload-pack: reduce lock contention when writing packfile dataPatrick Steinhardt, Mar 3, 2026
  19. Jeff KingMar 5, 2026
  20. Patrick SteinhardtMar 10, 2026
  21. 04/10 git-compat-util: introduce `cast_size_t_to_ssize_t()`Patrick Steinhardt, Mar 3, 2026
  22. 05/10 compat/posix: introduce writev(3p) wrapperPatrick Steinhardt, Mar 3, 2026
  23. Junio C HamanoMar 4, 2026
  24. Jeff KingMar 5, 2026
  25. brian m. carlsonMar 5, 2026
  26. Johannes SixtMar 5, 2026
  27. brian m. carlsonMar 5, 2026
  28. Patrick SteinhardtMar 10, 2026
  29. 06/10 wrapper: introduce writev(3p) wrappersPatrick Steinhardt, Mar 3, 2026
  30. 07/10 sideband: use writev(3p) to send pktlinesPatrick Steinhardt, Mar 3, 2026
  31. Junio C HamanoMar 4, 2026
  32. 08/10 csum-file: introduce `hashfd_ext()`Patrick Steinhardt, Mar 3, 2026
  33. Junio C HamanoMar 4, 2026
  34. Patrick SteinhardtMar 10, 2026
  35. 09/10 csum-file: drop `hashfd_throughput()`Patrick Steinhardt, Mar 3, 2026
  36. 10/10 builtin/pack-objects: reduce lock contention when writing packfile dataPatrick Steinhardt, Mar 3, 2026
  37. 00/10 upload-pack: reduce lock contention when writing packfile dataPatrick Steinhardt, Mar 10, 2026
  38. 01/10 upload-pack: fix debug statement when flushing packfile dataPatrick Steinhardt, Mar 10, 2026
  39. 02/10 upload-pack: adapt keepalives based on bufferingPatrick Steinhardt, Mar 10, 2026
  40. 03/10 upload-pack: prefer flushing data over sending keepalivePatrick Steinhardt, Mar 10, 2026
  41. Junio C HamanoMar 10, 2026
  42. Patrick SteinhardtMar 10, 2026
  43. 04/10 upload-pack: reduce lock contention when writing packfile dataPatrick Steinhardt, Mar 10, 2026
  44. 05/10 compat/posix: introduce writev(3p) wrapperPatrick Steinhardt, Mar 10, 2026
  45. Junio C HamanoMar 10, 2026
  46. 06/10 wrapper: introduce writev(3p) wrappersPatrick Steinhardt, Mar 10, 2026
  47. 07/10 sideband: use writev(3p) to send pktlinesPatrick Steinhardt, Mar 10, 2026
  48. 08/10 csum-file: introduce `hashfd_ext()`Patrick Steinhardt, Mar 10, 2026
  49. 09/10 csum-file: drop `hashfd_throughput()`Patrick Steinhardt, Mar 10, 2026
  50. 10/10 builtin/pack-objects: reduce lock contention when writing packfile dataPatrick Steinhardt, Mar 10, 2026
  51. Junio C HamanoMar 10, 2026
  52. Johannes SixtMar 10, 2026
  53. Patrick SteinhardtMar 11, 2026

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