Two-Level Segregate Fit

TLSF This web site provides detailed information about the TLSF (Two-Level Segregate Fit) allocator. TLSF is a general purpose dynamic memory allocator specifically designed to meet real-time requirements: Bounded Response Time . The worst-case execution time (WCET) of memory allocation and deallocation has got to be known in advance and be independent of application data. TLSF has a constant cost O(1). Fast. Additionally to a bounded cost, the allocator has to be efficient and fast enough. TLSF executes a maximum of 168 processor instructions in a x86 architecture. Depending on the compiler version and optimisation flags, it can be slightly lower or higher. Efficient Memory Use . Traditionally, real-time systems run for long periods of time and some (embedded applications), have strong constraints of memory size. Fragmentation can have a significant impact on such systems. It can increase dramatically, and degrade the system performance. A way to measure this efficiency is the memory fragmentation incurred by the allocator. TLSF has been tested in hundreds of different loads (real-time tasks, general purpose applications, etc.) obtaining an average fragmentation lower than 15 %. The maximum fragmentation measured is lower than 25%. TLSF has been included in several Linux distributions and applications. Although TLSF works rather well in many scenarios, it stands out in applications with hard/soft real-time application which uses explicit memory allocation with high flexibility requirements due to a high variability of the data size or adaptability to new situations. Some examples are: RTOS dynamic memory management Multimedia applications Routers, Switches, ... 3D reconstruction and rendering in video system applications Games .....