In C#, volatile
keyword ensures that reads and writes have acquire and release semantics, respectively. However, does it say anything about introduced reads or writes?
For instance:
volatile Thing something;
volatile int aNumber;
void Method()
{
// Are these lines...
var local = something;
if (local != null)
local.DoThings();
// ...guaranteed not to be transformed into these by compiler, jitter or processor?
if (something != null)
something.DoThings(); // <-- Second read!
// Are these lines...
if (aNumber == 0)
aNumber = 1;
// ...guaranteed not to be transformed into these by compiler, jitter or processor?
var temp = aNumber;
if (temp == 0)
temp = 1;
aNumber = temp; // <-- An out-of-thin-air write!
}
Here's what the C# spec1 has to say about Execution Order:
Execution of a C# program proceeds such that the side effects of each executing thread are preserved at critical execution points. A side effect is defined as a read or write of a volatile field ...
The execution environment is free to change the order of execution of a C# program, subject to the following constraints:
...
The ordering of side effects is preserved with respect to volatile reads and writes ...
I would certainly consider introducing new side effects to be changing the order of side effects, but it's not explicitly stated like that here.
Link in answer is to the C# 6 spec which is listed as Draft. C# 5 spec isn't a draft but is not available on-line, only as a download. Identical wording, so far as I can see in this section.