[Phase 1][Ballerina standard libraries] Dead code elimination report for Ballerina library modules

[ayeshLK]

Description

$subject

In the first phase we will be looking into dead-code-elimination for Ballerina standard library modules.

Below are the steps required to complete dead code elimination for a standard library module:

1. Update Dependency Versions:

Update the timestamps or latest versions of dependencies in gradle.properties (refer to the “Next” tab for the relevant versions).

2. Build the Module:

Use gradle to build the standard library module. This step will generate an intermediate package, which will be used for testing.

3. Run Dead Code Elimination Command:

In the ballerina directory of the module, execute:

 BAL_DISABLE_HARDCODED_OPTIMIZATIONS=true <path-to-intermediate-pack>/bin/bal test --eliminate-dead-code --dead-code-elimination-report

4. Review the Report:

If errors arise, examine target/dead_code_elimination_report.json to identify any removed types. Use @ExternalDependency to mark these types as needed.

5. Verify Type and Value Creator Usage:

Review TypeCreator, ValueCreator and ErrorCreator usage in the native code. Mark any relevant Ballerina types with @ExternalDependency if they aren’t marked already.

Module list

• io - @NipunaRanasinghe @ayeshLK
• java.arrays - @NipunaRanasinghe @ayeshLK
• math.vector - @ThisaruGuruge @ayeshLK
• time - @TharmiganK
• url - @TharmiganK
• xmldata - @daneshk
• ldap - @Nuvindu
• observe - @NipunaMadhushan
• avro - @Nuvindu
• constraint - @TharmiganK
• crypto - @MohamedSabthar @ayeshLK
• log - @TharmiganK
• os - @ThisaruGuruge @ayeshLK
• random - @aashikam
• task - @RDPerera
• xslt - @Nuvindu
• persist - @daneshk
• protobuf - @daneshk
• observei - @NipunaMadhushan
• cache - @NipunaRanasinghe
• data.xmldata -
• file - @DimuthuMadushan
• uuid - @aashikam
• mime - @MohamedSabthar
• tcp - @DimuthuMadushan
• udp - @DimuthuMadushan
• ftp - Sabthar
• auth - @DimuthuMadushan
• data.jsondata -
• data.yaml -
• jwt - @ayeshLK
• oauth2 - @MohamedSabthar
• toml - @RDPerera
• yaml - @RDPerera
• mqtt - @ayeshLK
• edi - @RDPerera
• email - @ayeshLK
• http - @TharmiganK
• grpc - @daneshk
• soap - @Nuvindu
• websocket - @MohamedSabthar
• websub - @ayeshLK
• websubhub - @ayeshLK
• transaction -
• graphql - @ThisaruGuruge
• sql - @niveathika
• copybook - @MohamedSabthar
• persist.sql - @lnash94
• persist.redis - @lnash94
• persist.inmemory - @lnash94
• persist.googlesheets - @lnash94

Version

No response

[TharmiganK]

The url package has no usages of ValueCreator or TypeCreator APIs. But the tests with DCE are failing due to a lang issue: ballerina-platform/ballerina-lang#43552. There is one usage for the ErrorCreator to create url:Error and since it is mentioned in the external function calls, it is added by default.

[TharmiganK]

The log package has no usages of TypeCreator. There are some usages of ValueCreator and ErrorCreator, but those are for tests (added via the test-utils package) and not part of the package.

[ayeshLK]

This effort is currently on hold due to the following lang issue [1]

[1] - ballerina-platform/ballerina-lang#43554

[ayeshLK]

We are re-starting this efforts and the latest Ballerina lang timestamp is 2201.11.0-20241111-172200-095db58f

[Nuvindu]

Tested the ldap library with the U11 timestamp for DCE and confirmed no fixes are needed. And didn't generate the library timestamp either as it is not used as a dependency for other modules.

[ayeshLK]

Tested following modules with shared U11 timestamp for DCE and confirmed that no fixes are needed. And didn't generate the library timestamp either as it is not used as a dependency for other modules.

• java.arrays
• math.vector

[Nuvindu]

Tested the avro library with the U11 timestamp for DCE and confirmed that no fixes are needed.

[MaryamZi]

We have introduced a fix for ballerina-platform/ballerina-lang#43579.

We are yet to fix ballerina-platform/ballerina-lang#43580, but we're not considering it as a blocker to migrate modules at the moment since it seems to happen only when a construct from the default module is used in the tests of a non-default module (which is an edge case).

[MaryamZi]

We have introduced a fix for ballerina-platform/ballerina-lang#43579.

Timestamped pack with this (and Java 21 migration) - 2201.11.0-20241125-172000-b341719a