PostgreSQL 7.1.3 Documentation
Prev | Chapter 22. Server Programming Interface | Next

# 22.3. Memory Management

Server allocates memory in memory contexts in such way that allocations made in one context may be freed by context destruction without affecting allocations made in other contexts. All allocations (via `palloc`, etc) are made in the context that is chosen as the current one. You'll get unpredictable results if you'll try to free (or reallocate) memory allocated not in current context.

Creation and switching between memory contexts are subject of SPI manager memory management.

SPI procedures deal with two memory contexts: upper Executor memory context and procedure memory context (if connected).

Before a procedure is connected to the SPI manager, current memory context is upper Executor context so all allocation made by the procedure itself via `palloc`/`repalloc` or by SPI utility functions before connecting to SPI are made in this context.

After `SPI_connect` is called current context is the procedure's one. All allocations made via `palloc`/`repalloc` or by SPI utility functions (except for `SPI_copytuple`, `SPI_modifytuple`, `SPI_palloc` and `SPI_repalloc`) are made in this context.

When a procedure disconnects from the SPI manager (via `SPI_finish`) the current context is restored to the upper Executor context and all allocations made in the procedure memory context are freed and can't be used any more!

If you want to return something to the upper Executor then you have to allocate memory for this in the upper context!

SPI has no ability to automatically free allocations in the upper Executor context!

SPI automatically frees memory allocated during execution of a query when this query is done!

Prev | Home | Next
SPI_pfree | Up | Visibility of Data Changes