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+Instrumenting Rust
+==================
+
+There are multiple ways to use the profiler with Rust. Native stack sampling already
+includes the Rust frames without special handling. There is the "Native Stacks"
+profiler feature (via about:profiling), which enables stack walking for native code.
+This is most likely turned on already for every profiler presets.
+
+In addition to that, there is a profiler Rust API to instrument the Rust code
+and add more information to the profile data. There are three main functionalities
+to use:
+
+1. Register Rust threads with the profiler, so the profiler can record these threads.
+2. Add stack frame labels to annotate and categorize a part of the stack.
+3. Add markers to specifically mark instants in time, or durations. This can be
+ helpful to make sense of a particular piece of the code, or record events that
+ normally wouldn't show up in samples.
+
+Crate to Include as a Dependency
+--------------------------------
+
+Profiler Rust API is located inside the ``gecko-profiler`` crate. This needs to
+be included in the project dependencies before the following functionalities can
+be used.
+
+To be able to include it, a new dependency entry needs to be added to the project's
+``Cargo.toml`` file like this:
+
+.. code-block:: toml
+
+ [dependencies]
+ gecko-profiler = { path = "../../tools/profiler/rust-api" }
+
+Note that the relative path needs to be updated depending on the project's location
+in mozilla-central.
+
+Registering Threads
+-------------------
+
+To be able to see the threads in the profile data, they need to be registered
+with the profiler. Also, they need to be unregistered when they are exiting.
+It's important to give a unique name to the thread, so they can be filtered easily.
+
+Registering and unregistering a thread is straightforward:
+
+.. code-block:: rust
+
+ // Register it with a given name.
+ gecko_profiler::register_thread("Thread Name");
+ // After doing some work, and right before exiting the thread, unregister it.
+ gecko_profiler::unregister_thread();
+
+For example, here's how to register and unregister a simple thread:
+
+.. code-block:: rust
+
+ let thread_name = "New Thread";
+ std::thread::Builder::new()
+ .name(thread_name.into())
+ .spawn(move || {
+ gecko_profiler::register_thread(thread_name);
+ // DO SOME WORK
+ gecko_profiler::unregister_thread();
+ })
+ .unwrap();
+
+Or with a thread pool:
+
+.. code-block:: rust
+
+ let worker = rayon::ThreadPoolBuilder::new()
+ .thread_name(move |idx| format!("Worker#{}", idx))
+ .start_handler(move |idx| {
+ gecko_profiler::register_thread(&format!("Worker#{}", idx));
+ })
+ .exit_handler(|_idx| {
+ gecko_profiler::unregister_thread();
+ })
+ .build();
+
+.. note::
+ Registering a thread only will not make it appear in the profile data. In
+ addition, it needs to be added to the "Threads" filter in about:profiling.
+ This filter input is a comma-separated list. It matches partial names and
+ supports the wildcard ``*``.
+
+Adding Stack Frame Labels
+-------------------------
+
+Stack frame labels are useful for annotating a part of the call stack with a
+category. The category will appear in the various places on the Firefox Profiler
+analysis page like timeline, call tree tab, flame graph tab, etc.
+
+``gecko_profiler_label!`` macro is used to add a new label frame. The added label
+frame will exist between the call of this macro and the end of the current scope.
+
+Adding a stack frame label:
+
+.. code-block:: rust
+
+ // Marking the stack as "Layout" category, no subcategory provided.
+ gecko_profiler_label!(Layout);
+ // Marking the stack as "JavaScript" category and "Parsing" subcategory.
+ gecko_profiler_label!(JavaScript, Parsing);
+
+ // Or the entire function scope can be marked with a procedural macro. This is
+ // essentially a syntactical sugar and it expands into a function with a
+ // gecko_profiler_label! call at the very start:
+ #[gecko_profiler_fn_label(DOM)]
+ fn foo(bar: u32) -> u32 {
+ bar
+ }
+
+See the list of all profiling categories in the `profiling_categories.yaml`_ file.
+
+Adding Markers
+--------------
+
+Markers are packets of arbitrary data that are added to a profile by the Firefox code,
+usually to indicate something important happening at a point in time, or during an interval of time.
+
+Each marker has a name, a category, some common optional information (timing, backtrace, etc.),
+and an optional payload of a specific type (containing arbitrary data relevant to that type).
+
+.. note::
+ This guide explains Rust markers in depth. To learn more about how to add a
+ marker in C++ or JavaScript, please take a look at their documentation
+ in :doc:`markers-guide` or :doc:`instrumenting-javascript` respectively.
+
+Examples
+^^^^^^^^
+
+Short examples, details are below.
+
+.. code-block:: rust
+
+ // Record a simple marker with the category of Graphics, DisplayListBuilding.
+ gecko_profiler::add_untyped_marker(
+ // Name of the marker as a string.
+ "Marker Name",
+ // Category with an optional sub-category.
+ gecko_profiler_category!(Graphics, DisplayListBuilding),
+ // MarkerOptions that keeps options like marker timing and marker stack.
+ // It will be a point in type by default.
+ Default::default(),
+ );
+
+.. code-block:: rust
+
+ // Create a marker with some additional text information.
+ let info = "info about this marker";
+ gecko_profiler::add_text_marker(
+ // Name of the marker as a string.
+ "Marker Name",
+ // Category with an optional sub-category.
+ gecko_profiler_category!(DOM),
+ // MarkerOptions that keeps options like marker timing and marker stack.
+ MarkerOptions {
+ timing: MarkerTiming::instant_now(),
+ ..Default::default()
+ },
+ // Additional information as a string.
+ info,
+ );
+
+.. code-block:: rust
+
+ // Record a custom marker of type `ExampleNumberMarker` (see definition below).
+ gecko_profiler::add_marker(
+ // Name of the marker as a string.
+ "Marker Name",
+ // Category with an optional sub-category.
+ gecko_profiler_category!(Graphics, DisplayListBuilding),
+ // MarkerOptions that keeps options like marker timing and marker stack.
+ Default::default(),
+ // Marker payload.
+ ExampleNumberMarker { number: 5 },
+ );
+
+ ....
+
+ // Marker type definition. It needs to derive Serialize, Deserialize.
+ #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
+ pub struct ExampleNumberMarker {
+ number: i32,
+ }
+
+ // Marker payload needs to implement the ProfilerMarker trait.
+ impl gecko_profiler::ProfilerMarker for ExampleNumberMarker {
+ // Unique marker type name.
+ fn marker_type_name() -> &'static str {
+ "example number"
+ }
+ // Data specific to this marker type, serialized to JSON for profiler.firefox.com.
+ fn stream_json_marker_data(&self, json_writer: &mut gecko_profiler::JSONWriter) {
+ json_writer.int_property("number", self.number.into());
+ }
+ // Where and how to display the marker and its data.
+ fn marker_type_display() -> gecko_profiler::MarkerSchema {
+ use gecko_profiler::marker::schema::*;
+ let mut schema = MarkerSchema::new(&[Location::MarkerChart]);
+ schema.set_chart_label("Name: {marker.name}");
+ schema.add_key_label_format("number", "Number", Format::Integer);
+ schema
+ }
+ }
+
+Untyped Markers
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+Untyped markers don't carry any information apart from common marker data:
+Name, category, options.
+
+.. code-block:: rust
+
+ gecko_profiler::add_untyped_marker(
+ // Name of the marker as a string.
+ "Marker Name",
+ // Category with an optional sub-category.
+ gecko_profiler_category!(Graphics, DisplayListBuilding),
+ // MarkerOptions that keeps options like marker timing and marker stack.
+ MarkerOptions {
+ timing: MarkerTiming::instant_now(),
+ ..Default::default()
+ },
+ );
+
+1. Marker name
+ The first argument is the name of this marker. This will be displayed in most places
+ the marker is shown. It can be a literal string, or any dynamic string.
+2. `Profiling category pair`_
+ A category + subcategory pair from the `the list of categories`_.
+ ``gecko_profiler_category!`` macro should be used to create a profiling category
+ pair since it's easier to use, e.g. ``gecko_profiler_category!(JavaScript, Parsing)``.
+ Second parameter can be omitted to use the default subcategory directly.
+ ``gecko_profiler_category!`` macro is encouraged to use, but ``ProfilingCategoryPair``
+ enum can also be used if needed.
+3. `MarkerOptions`_
+ See the options below. It can be omitted if there are no arguments with ``Default::default()``.
+ Some options can also be omitted, ``MarkerOptions {<options>, ..Default::default()}``,
+ with one or more of the following options types:
+
+ * `MarkerTiming`_
+ This specifies an instant or interval of time. It defaults to the current instant if
+ left unspecified. Otherwise use ``MarkerTiming::instant_at(ProfilerTime)`` or
+ ``MarkerTiming::interval(pt1, pt2)``; timestamps are usually captured with
+ ``ProfilerTime::Now()``. It is also possible to record only the start or the end of an
+ interval, pairs of start/end markers will be matched by their name.
+ * `MarkerStack`_
+ By default, markers do not record a "stack" (or "backtrace"). To record a stack at
+ this point, in the most efficient manner, specify ``MarkerStack::Full``. To
+ capture a stack without native frames for reduced overhead, specify
+ ``MarkerStack::NonNative``.
+
+ *Note: Currently, all C++ marker options are not present in the Rust side. They will
+ be added in the future.*
+
+Text Markers
+^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+Text markers are very common, they carry an extra text as a fourth argument, in addition to
+the marker name. Use the following macro:
+
+.. code-block:: rust
+
+ let info = "info about this marker";
+ gecko_profiler::add_text_marker(
+ // Name of the marker as a string.
+ "Marker Name",
+ // Category with an optional sub-category.
+ gecko_profiler_category!(DOM),
+ // MarkerOptions that keeps options like marker timing and marker stack.
+ MarkerOptions {
+ stack: MarkerStack::Full,
+ ..Default::default()
+ },
+ // Additional information as a string.
+ info,
+ );
+
+As useful as it is, using an expensive ``format!`` operation to generate a complex text
+comes with a variety of issues. It can leak potentially sensitive information
+such as URLs during the profile sharing step. profiler.firefox.com cannot
+access the information programmatically. It won't get the formatting benefits of the
+built-in marker schema. Please consider using a custom marker type to separate and
+better present the data.
+
+Other Typed Markers
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+From Rust code, a marker of some type ``YourMarker`` (details about type definition follow) can be
+recorded like this:
+
+.. code-block:: rust
+
+ gecko_profiler::add_marker(
+ // Name of the marker as a string.
+ "Marker Name",
+ // Category with an optional sub-category.
+ gecko_profiler_category!(JavaScript),
+ // MarkerOptions that keeps options like marker timing and marker stack.
+ Default::default(),
+ // Marker payload.
+ YourMarker { number: 5, text: "some string".to_string() },
+ );
+
+After the first three common arguments (like in ``gecko_profiler::add_untyped_marker``),
+there is a marker payload struct and it needs to be defined. Let's take a look at
+how to define it.
+
+How to Define New Marker Types
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+Each marker type must be defined once and only once.
+The definition is a Rust ``struct``, it's constructed when recording markers of
+that type in Rust. Each marker struct holds the data that is required for them
+to show in the profiler.firefox.com.
+By convention, the suffix "Marker" is recommended to better distinguish them
+from non-profiler entities in the source.
+
+Each marker payload must derive ``serde::Serialize`` and ``serde::Deserialize``.
+They are also exported from ``gecko-profiler`` crate if a project doesn't have it.
+Each marker payload should include its data as its fields like this:
+
+.. code-block:: rust
+
+ #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
+ pub struct YourMarker {
+ number: i32,
+ text: String,
+ }
+
+Each marker struct must also implement the `ProfilerMarker`_ trait.
+
+``ProfilerMarker`` trait
+************************
+
+`ProfilerMarker`_ trait must be implemented for all marker types. Its methods are
+similar to C++ counterparts, please refer to :ref:`the C++ markers guide to learn
+more about them <how-to-define-new-marker-types>`. It includes three methods that
+needs to be implemented:
+
+1. ``marker_type_name() -> &'static str``:
+ A marker type must have a unique name, it is used to keep track of the type of
+ markers in the profiler storage, and to identify them uniquely on profiler.firefox.com.
+ (It does not need to be the same as the struct's name.)
+
+ E.g.:
+
+ .. code-block:: rust
+
+ fn marker_type_name() -> &'static str {
+ "your marker type"
+ }
+
+2. ``stream_json_marker_data(&self, json_writer: &mut JSONWriter)``
+ All markers of any type have some common data: A name, a category, options like
+ timing, etc. as previously explained.
+
+ In addition, a certain marker type may carry zero of more arbitrary pieces of
+ information, and they are always the same for all markers of that type.
+
+ These are defined in a special static member function ``stream_json_marker_data``.
+
+ It's a member method and takes a ``&mut JSONWriter`` as a parameter,
+ it will be used to stream the data as JSON, to later be read by
+ profiler.firefox.com. See `JSONWriter object and its methods`_.
+
+ E.g.:
+
+ .. code-block:: rust
+
+ fn stream_json_marker_data(&self, json_writer: &mut JSONWriter) {
+ json_writer.int_property("number", self.number.into());
+ json_writer.string_property("text", &self.text);
+ }
+
+3. ``marker_type_display() -> schema::MarkerSchema``
+ Now that how to stream type-specific data (from Firefox to
+ profiler.firefox.com) is defined, it needs to be described where and how this
+ data will be displayed on profiler.firefox.com.
+
+ The static member function ``marker_type_display`` returns an opaque ``MarkerSchema``
+ object, which will be forwarded to profiler.firefox.com.
+
+ See the `MarkerSchema::Location enumeration for the full list`_. Also see the
+ `MarkerSchema struct for its possible methods`_.
+
+ E.g.:
+
+ .. code-block:: rust
+
+ fn marker_type_display() -> schema::MarkerSchema {
+ // Import MarkerSchema related types for easier use.
+ use crate::marker::schema::*;
+ // Create a MarkerSchema struct with a list of locations provided.
+ // One or more constructor arguments determine where this marker will be displayed in
+ // the profiler.firefox.com UI.
+ let mut schema = MarkerSchema::new(&[Location::MarkerChart]);
+
+ // Some labels can optionally be specified, to display certain information in different
+ // locations: set_chart_label, set_tooltip_label, and set_table_label``; or
+ // set_all_labels to define all of them the same way.
+ schema.set_all_labels("{marker.name} - {marker.data.number});
+
+ // Next, define the main display of marker data, which will appear in the Marker Chart
+ // tooltips and the Marker Table sidebar.
+ schema.add_key_label_format("number", "Number", Format::Number);
+ schema.add_key_label_format("text", "Text", Format::String);
+ schema.add_static_label_value("Help", "This is my own marker type");
+
+ // Lastly, return the created schema.
+ schema
+ }
+
+ Note that the strings in ``set_all_labels`` may refer to marker data within braces:
+
+ * ``{marker.name}``: Marker name.
+ * ``{marker.data.X}``: Type-specific data, as streamed with property name "X"
+ from ``stream_json_marker_data``.
+
+ :ref:`See the C++ markers guide for more details about it <marker-type-display-schema>`.
+
+.. _profiling_categories.yaml: https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/source/mozglue/baseprofiler/build/profiling_categories.yaml
+.. _Profiling category pair: https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/define?q=gecko_profiler::gecko_bindings::profiling_categories::ProfilingCategoryPair
+.. _the list of categories: https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/source/mozglue/baseprofiler/build/profiling_categories.yaml
+.. _MarkerOptions: https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/define?q=gecko_profiler::marker::options::MarkerOptions
+.. _MarkerTiming: https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/define?q=gecko_profiler::marker::options::MarkerTiming
+.. _MarkerStack: https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/define?q=gecko_profiler::marker::options::MarkerStack
+.. _ProfilerMarker: https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/define?q=gecko_profiler::marker::ProfilerMarker
+.. _MarkerSchema::Location enumeration for the full list: https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/define?q=T_mozilla%3A%3AMarkerSchema%3A%3ALocation
+.. _JSONWriter object and its methods: https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/define?q=gecko_profiler::json_writer::JSONWriter
+.. _MarkerSchema struct for its possible methods: https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/define?q=gecko_profiler::marker::schema::MarkerSchema