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Re: [PATCH 1/2] shallow: free local object_array allocations

From
Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im>
Date
Jan 6, 2026, 07:44 UTC
Message-ID
<aVy9ZveUOg3yum2X@pks.im>
In-Reply-To
<277c8616a9fc365b76b2f4ab458cd927834f9e0e.1765303880.git.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
On Tue, Dec 09, 2025 at 06:11:19PM +0000, Samo Pogačnik via GitGitGadget wrote:
Show 5 quoted lines
> From: =?UTF-8?q?Samo=20Poga=C4=8Dnik?= <samo_pogacnik@t-2.net>
> 
> The local object_array 'stack' in get_shallow_commits() function
> does not free its dynamic elements before the function returns.
> As a result elements remain allocated and their reference forgotten.

I think the elements themselves are actually fine. We have the following loop:

	while (commit || i < heads->nr || stack.nr) {

So while the stack still has entries, we'll keep on iteration. Furthermore, there is no `break` or early return in the loop, so we can sure that we actually pop every single element from the array.

That being said, what we _don't_ do is to free the array itself. So I'm mostly splitting hairs with how the commit message is phrased, the change looks correct to me.

What I'm wondering though is why we never hit this memory leak in our test suite. I guess the reason is simply that we ain't got enough test coverage around shallow clones. Have you seen this leak in the wild? And if so, can we add a test case that surfaces it?

Thanks!
Patrick
Previous: Samo Pogačnik via GitGitGadgetNext: Samo Pogačnik
Message 3 of 27 in “shallow: handling fetch relative-deepen”
  1. 0/2 shallow: handling fetch relative-deepenSamo Pogačnik via GitGitGadget, Dec 9, 2025
  2. 1/2 shallow: free local object_array allocationsSamo Pogačnik via GitGitGadget, Dec 9, 2025
  3. Patrick SteinhardtJan 6, 2026
  4. Samo PogačnikJan 9, 2026
  5. Patrick SteinhardtJan 9, 2026
  6. 2/2 shallow: handling fetch relative-deepenSamo Pogačnik via GitGitGadget, Dec 9, 2025
  7. Patrick SteinhardtJan 6, 2026
  8. Samo PogačnikJan 9, 2026
  9. 0/2 shallow: handling fetch relative-deepenSamo Pogačnik via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  10. 1/2 shallow: free local object_array allocationsSamo Pogačnik via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  11. 2/2 shallow: handling fetch relative-deepenSamo Pogačnik via GitGitGadget, Jan 9, 2026
  12. Junio C HamanoJan 10, 2026
  13. 0/2 shallow: handling fetch relative-deepenSamo Pogačnik via GitGitGadget, Jan 10, 2026
  14. 1/2 shallow: free local object_array allocationsSamo Pogačnik via GitGitGadget, Jan 10, 2026
  15. 2/2 shallow: handling fetch relative-deepenSamo Pogačnik via GitGitGadget, Jan 10, 2026
  16. Kristoffer HaugsbakkJan 15, 2026
  17. 0/2 shallow: handling fetch relative-deepenSamo Pogačnik via GitGitGadget, Jan 16, 2026
  18. 1/2 shallow: free local object_array allocationsSamo Pogačnik via GitGitGadget, Jan 16, 2026
  19. 2/2 shallow: handling fetch relative-deepenSamo Pogačnik via GitGitGadget, Jan 16, 2026
  20. Patrick SteinhardtFeb 11, 2026
  21. Samo PogačnikFeb 13, 2026
  22. Samo PogačnikFeb 14, 2026
  23. Samo PogačnikFeb 15, 2026
  24. 0/2 shallow: handling fetch relative-deepenSamo Pogačnik via GitGitGadget, Feb 15, 2026
  25. 1/2 shallow: free local object_array allocationsSamo Pogačnik via GitGitGadget, Feb 15, 2026
  26. 2/2 shallow: handling fetch relative-deepenSamo Pogačnik via GitGitGadget, Feb 15, 2026
  27. Junio C HamanoFeb 20, 2026

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