JDK-8198249 : Remove deprecated Runtime::runFinalizersOnExit and System::runFinalizersOnExit
  • Type: Enhancement
  • Component: core-libs
  • Sub-Component: java.lang
  • Affected Version: 11
  • Priority: P3
  • Status: Resolved
  • Resolution: Fixed
  • Submitted: 2018-02-15
  • Updated: 2022-07-29
  • Resolved: 2018-02-23
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JDK 11
11 b03Fixed
Related Reports
Blocks :  
JDK-8177680 - Umbrella: JDK 11 terminal deprecations
CSR :  
JDK-8198250 - Remove deprecated Runtime::runFinalizersOnExit and System::runFinalizersOnExit
Relates :  
JDK-8198639 - Examine Windows AWT dependency on runFinalizersOnExit
Relates :  
JDK-8288984 - Simplification in java.lang.Runtime::exit
Relates :  
JDK-8193035 - remove terminally deprecated APIs from java.lang
Relates :  
JDK-8287133 - Retire Runtime.runFinalizersOnExit so that it always throws UOE
Relates :  
JDK-8197812 - (ref) Data race in Finalizer
Relates :  
JDK-8287132 - Retire Runtime.runFinalizersOnExit so that it always throws UOE
Relates :  
JDK-4240589 - (ref) runFinalizersOnExit(true) causes VM crash for user native libraries
Description
Runtime::runFinalizersOnExit is inherently unsafe [1] and has been deprecated since 1.2.  It has been deprecated for removal in Java SE 9. 

It may result in finalizers being called on live objects while other threads are concurrently manipulating those objects, resulting in erratic behavior or deadlock. While this problem could be prevented if the class whose objects are being finalized were coded to "defend against" this call, most programmers do not defend against it. They assume that an object is dead at the time that its finalizer is called.

Further, the call is not "thread-safe" in the sense that it sets a VM-global flag. This forces every class with a finalizer to defend against the finalization of live objects!

[1] https://docs.oracle.com/javase/9/docs/api/java/lang/doc-files/threadPrimitiveDeprecation.html
Comments
URL: http://hg.openjdk.java.net/jdk/jdk/rev/a6c4b85163c1 User: mchung Date: 2018-02-23 20:14:35 +0000
23-02-2018