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Re: [PATCH 2/2] upload-pack: reduce lock contention when writing packfile data

From
Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date
Feb 27, 2026, 17:29 UTC
Message-ID
<xmqqpl5qrt7n.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To
<20260227-pks-upload-pack-write-contention-v1-2-7166fe255704@pks.im>
Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im> writes:
Show 20 quoted lines
> ...
> write(3p) call. Even worse, when the sideband is enabled we end up
> matching one read with _two_ writes: one for the pkt-line length, and
> one for the packfile data.
>
> Extend our use of the buffering infrastructure so that we soak up bytes
> until the buffer is filled up at least 2/3rds of its capacity. The
> change is relatively simple to implement as we already know to flush the
> buffer in `create_pack_file()` after git-pack-objects(1) has finished.
>
> This significantly reduces the number of write(3p) syscalls we need to
> do. Before this change, cloning the Linux repository resulted in around
> 400,000 write(3p) syscalls. With the buffering in place we only do
> around 130,000 syscalls.
>
> Now we could of course go even further and make sure that we always fill
> up the whole buffer. But this might cause an increase in read(3p)
> syscalls, and some tests show that this only reduces the number of
> write(3p) syscalls from 130,000 to 100,000. So overall this doesn't seem
> worth it.

Very well reasoned. I love this size ratio between explanation and code change ;-)

Show 25 quoted lines
>
> Helped-by: Matt Smiley <msmiley@gitlab.com>
> Signed-off-by: Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im>
> ---
>  upload-pack.c | 7 +++++++
>  1 file changed, 7 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/upload-pack.c b/upload-pack.c
> index c2643c0295..f8ba245616 100644
> --- a/upload-pack.c
> +++ b/upload-pack.c
> @@ -270,6 +270,13 @@ static int relay_pack_data(int pack_objects_out, struct output_state *os,
>  		}
>  	}
>  
> +	/*
> +	 * Make sure that we buffer some data before sending it to the client.
> +	 * This significantly reduces the number of write(3p) syscalls.
> +	 */
> +	if (readsz && os->used < (LARGE_PACKET_DATA_MAX * 2 / 3))
> +		return readsz;
> +
>  	if (os->used > 1) {
>  		send_client_data(1, os->buffer, os->used - 1, use_sideband);
>  		os->buffer[0] = os->buffer[os->used - 1];
Previous: Patrick SteinhardtNext: Jeff King
Message 6 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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