Reference Counting Deeply Immutable Data Structures with Cycles

Explore an innovative approach to memory management for deeply immutable data structures with cycles in this 19-minute video presentation from the ISMM 2024 conference. Delve into the concept of deep immutability from freeze and discover how reference counting can be efficiently applied to cyclic data structures without sacrificing promptness or determinism in memory reclamation. Learn about a novel algorithm that combines strongly connected components (SCCs) calculation with union-find (UF) to track the liveness of each SCC using a single reference counter. Understand the key observation that allows for precise reachability information without the need for backup mechanisms to detect or handle cycles. Gain insights into building concurrent programs with immutable data structures, making it easier to reason about program correctness.

[ISMM24] Reference Counting Deeply Immutable Data Structures with Cycles