wip on docs for general finalization

Author: KevinEady

doc/finalization.md

@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+# Finalization
+
+Various node-addon-api methods accept a templated `Finalizer finalizeCallback`
+parameter. This parameter represents a callback function that runs in a
+_synchronous_ or _asynchronous_ manner in response to a garbage collection
+event. The callback executes either during the garbage collection cycle
+(_synchronously_) or after the cycle has completed (_asynchronously_).
+
+In general, it is best to use synchronous finalizers whenever a callback must
+free native data.
+
+## Synchronous Finalizers
+
+Synchronous finalizers execute during the garbage collection cycle, and
+therefore must not manipulate the engine heap. The finalizer executes in the
+current tick, providing a chance to free native memory. The callback takes
+`Napi::BasicEnv` as its first argument.
+
+### Example
+
+```cpp
+Napi::ArrayBuffer::New(
+    Env(), data, length, [](Napi::BasicEnv /*env*/, void* finalizeData) {
+      delete[] static_cast<uint8_t*>(finalizeData);
+    });
+```
+
+## Asynchronous Finalizers
+
+Asynchronous finalizers execute outside the context of garbage collection later
+in the event loop. Care must be taken when creating several objects in
+succession if the finalizer must free native memory. The engine may garbage
+collect several objects created in one tick, but any asynchronous finalizers --
+and therefore the freeing of native memory -- will not execute in the same tick.
+The callback takes `Napi::Env` as its first argument.
+
+### Example
+
+```cpp
+Napi::External<int>::New(Env(), new int(1), [](Napi::Env env, int* data) {
+  env.RunScript("console.log('Finalizer called')");
+  delete data;
+});
+```
+
+#### Caveats
+
+```js
+while (conditional()) {
+  const external = createExternal();
+  doSomethingWith(external);
+}
+```
+
+The engine may determine to run the garbage collector within the loop, freeing
+the JavaScript engine's resources for all objects created by `createExternal()`.
+However, asynchronous finalizers will not execute during this loop, and the
+native memory held in `data` will not be freed.
+
+## Scheduling Asynchronous Finalizers
+
+In addition to passing asynchronous finalizers to externals and other Node-API
+constructs, use `Napi::BasicEnv::PostFinalize(Napi::Env, Finalizer)` to schedule
+an asynchronous finalizer to run after the next garbage collection cycle
+completes.
+
+Free native data in a synchronous finalizer, while executing any JavaScript code
+in an asynchronous finalizer attached via this method. Since the associated
+native memory may already be freed by the synchronous finalizer, any additional
+data may be passed eg. via the finalizer's parameters (`T data*`, `Hint hint*`)
+or via lambda capture.
+
+### Example
+
+```cpp
+// Native Add-on
+
+#include <iostream>
+#include <memory>
+#include "napi.h"
+
+using namespace Napi;
+
+// A structure representing some data that uses a "large" amount of memory.
+class LargeData {
+ public:
+  LargeData() : id(instances++) {}
+  size_t id;
+
+  static size_t instances;
+};
+
+size_t LargeData::instances = 0;
+
+// Synchronous finalizer to free `LargeData`. Takes ownership of the pointer and
+// frees its memory after use.
+void MySyncFinalizer(Napi::BasicEnv env, LargeData* data) {
+  std::unique_ptr<LargeData> instance(data);
+  std::cout << "Synchronous finalizer for instance " << instance->id
+            << " called\n";
+
+  // Register the asynchronous callback. Since the instance will be deleted by
+  // the time this callback executes, pass the instance's `id` via lambda copy
+  // capture and _not_ a reference capture that accesses `this`.
+  env.PostFinalizer([instanceId = instance->id](Napi::Env env) {
+    std::cout << "Asynchronous finalizer for instance " << instanceId
+              << " called\n";
+  });
+
+  // Free the `LargeData` held in `data` once `instance` goes out of scope.
+}
+
+Value CreateExternal(const CallbackInfo& info) {
+  // Create a new instance of LargeData.
+  auto instance = std::make_unique<LargeData>();
+
+  // Wrap the instance in an External object, registering a synchronous
+  // finalizer that will delete the instance to free the "large" amount of
+  // memory.
+  auto ext =
+      External<LargeData>::New(info.Env(), instance.release(), MySyncFinalizer);
+
+  return ext;
+}
+
+Object Init(Napi::Env env, Object exports) {
+  exports["createExternal"] = Function::New(env, CreateExternal);
+  return exports;
+}
+
+NODE_API_MODULE(addon, Init)
+```
+
+```js
+// JavaScript
+
+const { createExternal } = require('./addon.node');
+
+for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
+  createExternal();
+}
+
+console.log('Conditional done');
+```
+
+Possible output:
+
+```
+Synchronous finalizer for instance 0 called
+Synchronous finalizer for instance 1 called
+Synchronous finalizer for instance 2 called
+Synchronous finalizer for instance 3 called
+Conditional done
+Asynchronous finalizer for instance 3 called
+Asynchronous finalizer for instance 1 called
+Asynchronous finalizer for instance 2 called
+Asynchronous finalizer for instance 0 called
+```