[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

• [x] io - @NipunaRanasinghe @ayeshLK
• [x] java.arrays - @NipunaRanasinghe @ayeshLK
• [x] math.vector - @ThisaruGuruge @ayeshLK
• [x] time - @TharmiganK
• [x] url - @TharmiganK
• [ ] xmldata - @daneshk
• [x] ldap - @Nuvindu
• [ ] observe - @NipunaMadhushan
• [x] avro - @Nuvindu
• [x] constraint - @TharmiganK
• [x] crypto - @MohamedSabthar @ayeshLK
• [x] log - @TharmiganK
• [ ] os - @ThisaruGuruge @ayeshLK
• [ ] random - @aashikam
• [x] 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: https://github.com/ballerina-platform/ballerina-lang/issues/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] - https://github.com/ballerina-platform/ballerina-lang/issues/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 https://github.com/ballerina-platform/ballerina-lang/issues/43579.

We are yet to fix https://github.com/ballerina-platform/ballerina-lang/issues/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).