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Heap Garbage Collection in XSB: Practice and Experience

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Practical Aspects of Declarative Languages (PADL 2000)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1753))

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Abstract

Starting from a theoretical understanding of the usefulness logic of a logic programming system with built-in tabling, and from a collector that did not take the characteristics of a tabled abstract machine into account we have build two heap garbage collectors (one mark&slide, one mark&copy) for XSB on top of the CHAT implementation model for the suspension/resumption of consumers. Based on this experience we discuss implementation issues that are general to heap garbage collection for the WAM and also issues that are specific to an implementation with tabling: as such, this paper documents our own implementation and can serve as guidance for anyone attempting a similar feat. We report on the behaviour of the garbage collectors on different kinds of programs. We also present figures on the extent of internal fragmentation and the effectiveness of early reset in Prolog systems with and without tabling.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, K.U. Leuven, Belgium

    Bart Demoen

  2. Computing Science Department, Uppsala University, Sweden

    Konstantinos Sagonas

Authors
  1. Bart Demoen
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  2. Konstantinos Sagonas
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science New Science Hall, New Mexico State University, Box 30001, MS CS, Stewart Street, Las Cruces, NM, 88003, USA

    Enrico Pontelli

  2. COPPE/Sistemas e Computação Centro de Tecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Bloco H-319, Cx. Postal 68511, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, CEP:21945-970

    Vítor Santos Costa

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© 1999 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Demoen, B., Sagonas, K. (1999). Heap Garbage Collection in XSB: Practice and Experience. In: Pontelli, E., Santos Costa, V. (eds) Practical Aspects of Declarative Languages. PADL 2000. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1753. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-46584-7_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-46584-7_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-66992-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-46584-3

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