Search code examples
gocachingrace-conditiongo-fiber

Race(?) with Mutex - corrupt data in map


In a project I want to use a cache to store things like a hash. However, it happens from time to time that the stored value in the cache changes to the key. Usually around 4 characters from the key are taken over:

<- Set hash::helloworldtest = abcdef0123456789
-> Get hash::helloworldtest = testef0123456789

This is roughly how my cache is structured:

type node struct {
    expires nodeExpiration
    value   interface{}
}

// ...

func (c *Cache) Set(key string, value interface{}, expiration time.Duration) {
    c.mu.Lock()
    c.val[key] = &node{
        expires: c.expiration(expiration),
        value:   value,
    }
    // fmt.Println( ... )
    c.mu.Unlock()
}

func (c *Cache) Get(key string) (interface{}, bool) {
    c.mu.Lock()
    if v, o := c.val[key]; o && v != nil {
        if !v.expires.IsExpired() {
            // fmt.Println( ... )
            c.mu.Unlock()
            return v.value, true
        }
    }
    c.mu.Unlock()
    return nil, false
}

// Cache Backend
func (b *CacheBackend) GetHash(key string) (res string, err error) {
    return b.get("hash::" + key)
}
func (b *CacheBackend) get(key string) (res string, err error) {
    if v, ok := b.cache.Get(key); ok {
        if s, ok := v.(string); ok {
            return s, nil
        }
        return "", b.errCast
    }
    return "", nil
}

// go-fiber Route
func (s *WebServer) handleGetHashAnywhere(ctx *fiber.Ctx) (err error) {
    path := ctx.Params("anywhere")
    var res string
    if res, err = s.Backend.GetHash(path); err != nil {
        return
    }
    if res == "" {
        ctx.Status(404)
    } else {
        ctx.Status(200)
    }
    return ctx.SendString(res)
}

I was using a sync.RWMutex before, but replaced it with a sync.Mutex, thinking that might be where the problem was. But same with sync.Mutex.

The Get and Set methods are called in a goroutine by go-fiber to then return these values.

Does anyone have any idea how something like this can happen?

EDIT 1: Saving []byte instead of string works fine.

enter image description here


Solution

  • Thanks to @majodev the problem was finally fixed properly.

    The problem is described in the documentation under Zero Allocation. An excerpt:

    Because fiber is optimized for high-performance, values returned from fiber.Ctx are not immutable by default and will be re-used across requests. [...] As soon as you return from the handler, any values you have obtained from the context will be re-used in future requests and will change below your feet.

    So the context values must be copied, or the "Immutable" flag must be passed in the fiber config.

    1st Solution:
    New buffer from read values and copy its contents

    buf := bytes.NewBufferString(ctx.Params("hash"))
    hash := string(buf.Bytes())
    

    2nd Solution:
    Use builtin function utils#CopyString(string) described here.

    hash := utils.CopyString(ctx.Params("hash"))
    

    3rd Solution:
    Immutable config flag

    cfg := &fiber.Config{Immutable: true}
    

    then everything works.