Class Monitor

java.lang.Object
com.google.common.util.concurrent.Monitor
@GwtIncompatible public final class Monitor extends Object
A synchronization abstraction supporting waiting on arbitrary boolean conditions.

This class is intended as a replacement for ReentrantLock. Code using Monitor is less error-prone and more readable than code using ReentrantLock, without significant performance loss. Monitor even has the potential for performance gain by optimizing the evaluation and signaling of conditions. Signaling is entirely implicit. By eliminating explicit signaling, this class can guarantee that only one thread is awakened when a condition becomes true (no "signaling storms" due to use of Condition.signalAll) and that no signals are lost (no "hangs" due to incorrect use of Condition.signal).

A thread is said to occupy a monitor if it has entered the monitor but not yet left. Only one thread may occupy a given monitor at any moment. A monitor is also reentrant, so a thread may enter a monitor any number of times, and then must leave the same number of times. The enter and leave operations have the same synchronization semantics as the built-in Java language synchronization primitives.

A call to any of the enter methods with void return type should always be followed immediately by a try/finally block to ensure that the current thread leaves the monitor cleanly: 

monitor.enter();
try {
  // do things while occupying the monitor
} finally {
  monitor.leave();
}

A call to any of the enter methods with boolean return type should always appear as the condition of an if statement containing a try/finally block to ensure that the current thread leaves the monitor cleanly: 

if (monitor.tryEnter()) {
  try {
    // do things while occupying the monitor
  } finally {
    monitor.leave();
  }
} else {
  // do other things since the monitor was not available
}

Comparison with synchronized and ReentrantLock

The following examples show a simple threadsafe holder expressed using synchronized, ReentrantLock, and Monitor.

synchronized

This version is the fewest lines of code, largely because the synchronization mechanism used is built into the language and runtime. But the programmer has to remember to avoid a couple of common bugs: The wait() must be inside a while instead of an if, and notifyAll() must be used instead of notify() because there are two different logical conditions being awaited. 

public class SafeBox<V> {
  private V value;

  public synchronized V get() throws InterruptedException {
    while (value == null) {
      wait();
    }
    V result = value;
    value = null;
    notifyAll();
    return result;
  }

  public synchronized void set(V newValue) throws InterruptedException {
    while (value != null) {
      wait();
    }
    value = newValue;
    notifyAll();
  }
}

ReentrantLock

This version is much more verbose than the synchronized version, and still suffers from the need for the programmer to remember to use while instead of if. However, one advantage is that we can introduce two separate Condition objects, which allows us to use signal() instead of signalAll(), which may be a performance benefit. 

public class SafeBox<V> {
  private V value;
  private final ReentrantLock lock = new ReentrantLock();
  private final Condition valuePresent = lock.newCondition();
  private final Condition valueAbsent = lock.newCondition();

  public V get() throws InterruptedException {
    lock.lock();
    try {
      while (value == null) {
        valuePresent.await();
      }
      V result = value;
      value = null;
      valueAbsent.signal();
      return result;
    } finally {
      lock.unlock();
    }
  }

  public void set(V newValue) throws InterruptedException {
    lock.lock();
    try {
      while (value != null) {
        valueAbsent.await();
      }
      value = newValue;
      valuePresent.signal();
    } finally {
      lock.unlock();
    }
  }
}

Monitor

This version adds some verbosity around the Guard objects, but removes that same verbosity, and more, from the get and set methods. Monitor implements the same efficient signaling as we had to hand-code in the ReentrantLock version above. Finally, the programmer no longer has to hand-code the wait loop, and therefore doesn't have to remember to use while instead of if. 

public class SafeBox<V> {
  private V value;
  private final Monitor monitor = new Monitor();
  private final Monitor.Guard valuePresent = monitor.newGuard(() -> value != null);
  private final Monitor.Guard valueAbsent = monitor.newGuard(() -> value == null);

  public V get() throws InterruptedException {
    monitor.enterWhen(valuePresent);
    try {
      V result = value;
      value = null;
      return result;
    } finally {
      monitor.leave();
    }
  }

  public void set(V newValue) throws InterruptedException {
    monitor.enterWhen(valueAbsent);
    try {
      value = newValue;
    } finally {
      monitor.leave();
    }
  }
}
Since:
10.0
Author:
Justin T. Sampson, Martin Buchholz

  • Constructor Details

    • Monitor

      public Monitor()
      Creates a monitor with a non-fair (but fast) ordering policy. Equivalent to Monitor(false).

    • Monitor

      public Monitor(boolean fair)
      Creates a monitor with the given ordering policy.
      Parameters:
      fair - whether this monitor should use a fair ordering policy rather than a non-fair (but fast) one

  • Method Details

    • newGuard

      public Monitor.Guard newGuard(BooleanSupplier isSatisfied)
      Creates a new guard for this monitor.
      Parameters:
      isSatisfied - the new guard's boolean condition (see isSatisfied())
      Since:
      33.4.0 (but since 21.0 in the JRE flavor)

    • enter

      public void enter()
      Enters this monitor. Blocks indefinitely.

    • enter

      public boolean enter(Duration time)
      Enters this monitor. Blocks at most the given time.
      Returns:
      whether the monitor was entered
      Since:
      33.4.0 (but since 28.0 in the JRE flavor)

    • enter

      public boolean enter(long time, TimeUnit unit)
      Enters this monitor. Blocks at most the given time.
      Returns:
      whether the monitor was entered

    • enterInterruptibly

      public void enterInterruptibly() throws InterruptedException
      Enters this monitor. Blocks indefinitely, but may be interrupted.
      Throws:
      InterruptedException - if interrupted while waiting

    • enterInterruptibly

      public boolean enterInterruptibly(Duration time) throws InterruptedException
      Enters this monitor. Blocks at most the given time, and may be interrupted.
      Returns:
      whether the monitor was entered
      Throws:
      InterruptedException - if interrupted while waiting
      Since:
      33.4.0 (but since 28.0 in the JRE flavor)

    • enterInterruptibly

      public boolean enterInterruptibly(long time, TimeUnit unit) throws InterruptedException
      Enters this monitor. Blocks at most the given time, and may be interrupted.
      Returns:
      whether the monitor was entered
      Throws:
      InterruptedException - if interrupted while waiting

    • tryEnter

      public boolean tryEnter()
      Enters this monitor if it is possible to do so immediately. Does not block.

      Note: This method disregards the fairness setting of this monitor.

      Returns:
      whether the monitor was entered

    • enterWhen

      public void enterWhen(Monitor.Guard guard) throws InterruptedException
      Enters this monitor when the guard is satisfied. Blocks indefinitely, but may be interrupted.
      Throws:
      InterruptedException - if interrupted while waiting

    • enterWhen

      public boolean enterWhen(Monitor.Guard guard, Duration time) throws InterruptedException
      Enters this monitor when the guard is satisfied. Blocks at most the given time, including both the time to acquire the lock and the time to wait for the guard to be satisfied, and may be interrupted.
      Returns:
      whether the monitor was entered, which guarantees that the guard is now satisfied
      Throws:
      InterruptedException - if interrupted while waiting
      Since:
      33.4.0 (but since 28.0 in the JRE flavor)

    • enterWhen

      public boolean enterWhen(Monitor.Guard guard, long time, TimeUnit unit) throws InterruptedException
      Enters this monitor when the guard is satisfied. Blocks at most the given time, including both the time to acquire the lock and the time to wait for the guard to be satisfied, and may be interrupted.
      Returns:
      whether the monitor was entered, which guarantees that the guard is now satisfied
      Throws:
      InterruptedException - if interrupted while waiting

    • enterWhenUninterruptibly

      public void enterWhenUninterruptibly(Monitor.Guard guard)
      Enters this monitor when the guard is satisfied. Blocks indefinitely.

    • enterWhenUninterruptibly

      public boolean enterWhenUninterruptibly(Monitor.Guard guard, Duration time)
      Enters this monitor when the guard is satisfied. Blocks at most the given time, including both the time to acquire the lock and the time to wait for the guard to be satisfied.
      Returns:
      whether the monitor was entered, which guarantees that the guard is now satisfied
      Since:
      33.4.0 (but since 28.0 in the JRE flavor)

    • enterWhenUninterruptibly

      public boolean enterWhenUninterruptibly(Monitor.Guard guard, long time, TimeUnit unit)
      Enters this monitor when the guard is satisfied. Blocks at most the given time, including both the time to acquire the lock and the time to wait for the guard to be satisfied.
      Returns:
      whether the monitor was entered, which guarantees that the guard is now satisfied

    • enterIf

      public boolean enterIf(Monitor.Guard guard)
      Enters this monitor if the guard is satisfied. Blocks indefinitely acquiring the lock, but does not wait for the guard to be satisfied.
      Returns:
      whether the monitor was entered, which guarantees that the guard is now satisfied

    • enterIf

      public boolean enterIf(Monitor.Guard guard, Duration time)
      Enters this monitor if the guard is satisfied. Blocks at most the given time acquiring the lock, but does not wait for the guard to be satisfied.
      Returns:
      whether the monitor was entered, which guarantees that the guard is now satisfied
      Since:
      33.4.0 (but since 28.0 in the JRE flavor)

    • enterIf

      public boolean enterIf(Monitor.Guard guard, long time, TimeUnit unit)
      Enters this monitor if the guard is satisfied. Blocks at most the given time acquiring the lock, but does not wait for the guard to be satisfied.
      Returns:
      whether the monitor was entered, which guarantees that the guard is now satisfied

    • enterIfInterruptibly

      public boolean enterIfInterruptibly(Monitor.Guard guard) throws InterruptedException
      Enters this monitor if the guard is satisfied. Blocks indefinitely acquiring the lock, but does not wait for the guard to be satisfied, and may be interrupted.
      Returns:
      whether the monitor was entered, which guarantees that the guard is now satisfied
      Throws:
      InterruptedException - if interrupted while waiting

    • enterIfInterruptibly

      public boolean enterIfInterruptibly(Monitor.Guard guard, Duration time) throws InterruptedException
      Enters this monitor if the guard is satisfied. Blocks at most the given time acquiring the lock, but does not wait for the guard to be satisfied, and may be interrupted.
      Returns:
      whether the monitor was entered, which guarantees that the guard is now satisfied
      Throws:
      InterruptedException
      Since:
      33.4.0 (but since 28.0 in the JRE flavor)

    • enterIfInterruptibly

      public boolean enterIfInterruptibly(Monitor.Guard guard, long time, TimeUnit unit) throws InterruptedException
      Enters this monitor if the guard is satisfied. Blocks at most the given time acquiring the lock, but does not wait for the guard to be satisfied, and may be interrupted.
      Returns:
      whether the monitor was entered, which guarantees that the guard is now satisfied
      Throws:
      InterruptedException

    • tryEnterIf

      public boolean tryEnterIf(Monitor.Guard guard)
      Enters this monitor if it is possible to do so immediately and the guard is satisfied. Does not block acquiring the lock and does not wait for the guard to be satisfied.

      Note: This method disregards the fairness setting of this monitor.

      Returns:
      whether the monitor was entered, which guarantees that the guard is now satisfied

    • waitFor

      public void waitFor(Monitor.Guard guard) throws InterruptedException
      Waits for the guard to be satisfied. Waits indefinitely, but may be interrupted. May be called only by a thread currently occupying this monitor.
      Throws:
      InterruptedException - if interrupted while waiting

    • waitFor

      public boolean waitFor(Monitor.Guard guard, Duration time) throws InterruptedException
      Waits for the guard to be satisfied. Waits at most the given time, and may be interrupted. May be called only by a thread currently occupying this monitor.
      Returns:
      whether the guard is now satisfied
      Throws:
      InterruptedException - if interrupted while waiting
      Since:
      33.4.0 (but since 28.0 in the JRE flavor)

    • waitFor

      public boolean waitFor(Monitor.Guard guard, long time, TimeUnit unit) throws InterruptedException
      Waits for the guard to be satisfied. Waits at most the given time, and may be interrupted. May be called only by a thread currently occupying this monitor.
      Returns:
      whether the guard is now satisfied
      Throws:
      InterruptedException - if interrupted while waiting

    • waitForUninterruptibly

      public void waitForUninterruptibly(Monitor.Guard guard)
      Waits for the guard to be satisfied. Waits indefinitely. May be called only by a thread currently occupying this monitor.

    • waitForUninterruptibly

      public boolean waitForUninterruptibly(Monitor.Guard guard, Duration time)
      Waits for the guard to be satisfied. Waits at most the given time. May be called only by a thread currently occupying this monitor.
      Returns:
      whether the guard is now satisfied
      Since:
      33.4.0 (but since 28.0 in the JRE flavor)

    • waitForUninterruptibly

      public boolean waitForUninterruptibly(Monitor.Guard guard, long time, TimeUnit unit)
      Waits for the guard to be satisfied. Waits at most the given time. May be called only by a thread currently occupying this monitor.
      Returns:
      whether the guard is now satisfied

    • leave

      public void leave()
      Leaves this monitor. May be called only by a thread currently occupying this monitor.

    • isFair

      public boolean isFair()
      Returns whether this monitor is using a fair ordering policy.

    • isOccupied

      public boolean isOccupied()
      Returns whether this monitor is occupied by any thread. This method is designed for use in monitoring of the system state, not for synchronization control.

    • isOccupiedByCurrentThread

      public boolean isOccupiedByCurrentThread()
      Returns whether the current thread is occupying this monitor (has entered more times than it has left).

    • getOccupiedDepth

      public int getOccupiedDepth()
      Returns the number of times the current thread has entered this monitor in excess of the number of times it has left. Returns 0 if the current thread is not occupying this monitor.

    • getQueueLength

      public int getQueueLength()
      Returns an estimate of the number of threads waiting to enter this monitor. The value is only an estimate because the number of threads may change dynamically while this method traverses internal data structures. This method is designed for use in monitoring of the system state, not for synchronization control.

    • hasQueuedThreads

      public boolean hasQueuedThreads()
      Returns whether any threads are waiting to enter this monitor. Note that because cancellations may occur at any time, a true return does not guarantee that any other thread will ever enter this monitor. This method is designed primarily for use in monitoring of the system state.

    • hasQueuedThread

      public boolean hasQueuedThread(Thread thread)
      Queries whether the given thread is waiting to enter this monitor. Note that because cancellations may occur at any time, a true return does not guarantee that this thread will ever enter this monitor. This method is designed primarily for use in monitoring of the system state.

    • hasWaiters

      public boolean hasWaiters(Monitor.Guard guard)
      Queries whether any threads are waiting for the given guard to become satisfied. Note that because timeouts and interrupts may occur at any time, a true return does not guarantee that the guard becoming satisfied in the future will awaken any threads. This method is designed primarily for use in monitoring of the system state.

    • getWaitQueueLength

      public int getWaitQueueLength(Monitor.Guard guard)
      Returns an estimate of the number of threads waiting for the given guard to become satisfied. Note that because timeouts and interrupts may occur at any time, the estimate serves only as an upper bound on the actual number of waiters. This method is designed for use in monitoring of the system state, not for synchronization control.