[[databuffers]]
= Data Buffers and Codecs

Java NIO provides `ByteBuffer` but many libraries build their own byte buffer API on top,
especially for network operations where reusing buffers and/or using direct buffers is
beneficial for performance. For example Netty has the `ByteBuf` hierarchy, Undertow uses
XNIO, Jetty uses pooled byte buffers with a callback to be released, and so on.
The `spring-core` module provides a set of abstractions to work with various byte buffer
APIs as follows:

* <<databuffers-factory>> abstracts the creation of a data buffer.
* <<databuffers-buffer>> represents a byte buffer, which may be
<<databuffers-buffer-pooled,pooled>>.
* <<databuffers-utils>> offers utility methods for data buffers.
* <<Codecs>> decode or encode streams data buffer streams into higher level objects.




[[databuffers-factory]]
== `DataBufferFactory`

`DataBufferFactory` is used to create data buffers in one of two ways:

. Allocate a new data buffer, optionally specifying capacity upfront, if known, which is
more efficient even though implementations of `DataBuffer` can grow and shrink on demand.
. Wrap an existing `byte[]` or `java.nio.ByteBuffer`, which decorates the given data with
a `DataBuffer` implementation and that does not involve allocation.

Note that WebFlux applications do not create a `DataBufferFactory` directly but instead
access it through the `ServerHttpResponse` or the `ClientHttpRequest` on the client side.
The type of factory depends on the underlying client or server, e.g.
`NettyDataBufferFactory` for Reactor Netty, `DefaultDataBufferFactory` for others.




[[databuffers-buffer]]
== `DataBuffer`

The `DataBuffer` interface offers similar operations as `java.nio.ByteBuffer` but also
brings a few additional benefits some of which are inspired by the Netty `ByteBuf`.
Below is a partial list of benefits:

* Read and write with independent positions, i.e. not requiring a call to `flip()` to
alternate between read and write.
* Capacity expanded on demand as with `java.lang.StringBuilder`.
* Pooled buffers and reference counting via <<databuffers-buffer-pooled>>.
* View a buffer as `java.nio.ByteBuffer`, `InputStream`, or `OutputStream`.
* Determine the index, or the last index, for a given byte.




[[databuffers-buffer-pooled]]
== `PooledDataBuffer`

As explained in the Javadoc for
https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/nio/ByteBuffer.html[ByteBuffer],
byte buffers can be direct or non-direct. Direct buffers may reside outside the Java heap
which eliminates the need for copying for native I/O operations. That makes direct buffers
particularly useful for receiving and sending data over a socket, but they're also more
expensive to create and release, which leads to the idea of pooling buffers.

`PooledDataBuffer` is an extension of `DataBuffer` that helps with reference counting which
is essential for byte buffer pooling. How does it work? When a `PooledDataBuffer` is
allocated the reference count is at 1. Calls to `retain()` increment the count, while
calls to `release()` decrement it. As long as the count is above 0, the buffer is
guaranteed not to be released. When the count is decreased to 0, the pooled buffer can be
released, which in practice could mean the reserved memory for the buffer is returned to
the memory pool.

Note that instead of operating on `PooledDataBuffer` directly, in most cases it's better
to use the convenience methods in `DataBufferUtils` that apply release or retain to a
`DataBuffer` only if it is an instance of `PooledDataBuffer`.




[[databuffers-utils]]
== `DataBufferUtils`

`DataBufferUtils` offers a number of utility methods to operate on data buffers:

* Join a stream of data buffers into a single buffer possibly with zero copy, e.g. via
composite buffers, if that's supported by the underlying byte buffer API.
* Turn `InputStream` or NIO `Channel` into `Flux<DataBuffer>`, and vice versa a
`Publisher<DataBuffer>` into `OutputStream` or NIO `Channel`.
* Methods to release or retain a `DataBuffer` if the buffer is an instance of
`PooledDataBuffer`.
* Skip or take from a stream of bytes until a specific byte count.





[[codecs]]
== Codecs

The `org.springframework.core.codec` package provides the following strategy interfaces:

* `Encoder` to encode `Publisher<T>` into a stream of data buffers.
* `Decoder` to decode `Publisher<DataBuffer>` into a stream of higher level objects.

The `spring-core` module provides `byte[]`, `ByteBuffer`, `DataBuffer`, `Resource`, and
`String` encoder and decoder implementations. The `spring-web` module adds Jackson JSON,
Jackson Smile, JAXB2, Protocol Buffers and other encoders and decoders. See
<<web-reactive.adoc#webflux-codecs,Codecs>> in the WebFlux section.




[[databuffers-using]]
== Using `DataBuffer`

When working with data buffers, special care must be taken to ensure buffers are released
since they may be <<databuffers-buffer-pooled,pooled>>. We'll use codecs to illustrate
how that works but the concepts apply more generally. Let's see what codecs must do
internally to manage data buffers.

A `Decoder` is the last to read input data buffers, before creating higher level
objects, and therefore it must release them as follows:

. If a `Decoder` simply reads each input buffer and is ready to
release it immediately, it can do so via `DataBufferUtils.release(dataBuffer)`.
. If a `Decoder` is using `Flux` or `Mono` operators such as `flatMap`, `reduce`, and
others that prefetch and cache data items internally, or is using operators such as
`filter`, `skip`, and others that leave out items, then
`doOnDiscard(PooledDataBuffer.class, DataBufferUtils::release)` must be added to the
composition chain to ensure such buffers are released prior to being discarded, possibly
also as a result an error or cancellation signal.
. If a `Decoder` holds on to one or more data buffers in any other way, it must
ensure they are released when fully read, or in case an error or cancellation signals that
take place before the cached data buffers have been read and released.

Note that `DataBufferUtils#join` offers a safe and efficient way to aggregate a data
buffer stream into a single data buffer. Likewise `skipUntilByteCount` and
`takeUntilByteCount` are additional safe methods for decoders to use.

An `Encoder` allocates data buffers that others must read (and release). So an `Encoder`
doesn't have much to do. However an `Encoder` must take care to release a data buffer if
a serialization error occurs while populating the buffer with data. For example:

====
[source,java,indent=0]
[subs="verbatim,quotes"]
----
	DataBuffer buffer = factory.allocateBuffer();
	boolean release = true;
	try {
		// serialize and populate buffer..
		release = false;
	}
	finally {
		if (release) {
			DataBufferUtils.release(buffer);
		}
	}
	return buffer;
----
====

The consumer of an `Encoder` is responsible for releasing the data buffers it receives.
In a WebFlux application, the output of the `Encoder` is used to write to the HTTP server
response, or to the client HTTP request, in which case releasing the data buffers is the
responsibility of the code writing to the server response, or to the client request.

Note that when running on Netty, there are debugging options for
https://github.com/netty/netty/wiki/Reference-counted-objects#troubleshooting-buffer-leaks[troubleshooting buffer leaks].
