protobuf-go/internal
Joe Tsai f6d4a4215f reflect/protoreflect: clarify Get semantics on unpopulated fields
Clearly specify that Get on an unpopulated field:
* returns the default value for scalars
* returns a mutable (but empty) List for repeated fields
* returns a mutable (but empty) Map for map fields
* returns an invalid value for message fields

The difference in semantics between List+Maps and Messages is because
protobuf semantics provide no distinction between an unpopulated and empty list
or map. On the other hand, there is a semantic difference between an unpopulated
message and an empty message.

Default values for scalars is trivial to implement with FieldDescriptor.Default.

A mutable, but empty List and Map is easy to implement for known fields since
known fields are generated as a slice or map field in a struct.
Since struct fields are addressable, the implementation can just return a
reference to the slice or map.

Repeated, extension fields are a little more tricky since extension fields
are implemented under the hood as a map[FieldNumber]Extension.
Rather than allocating an empty list in KnownFields.Get upon first retrieval
(which presents a race), delegate the work to ExtensionFieldTypes.Register,
which must occur before any Get operation. Register is not a concurrent-safe
operation, so that is an excellent time to initilize empty lists.
The implementation of extensions will need to be careful that Clear on a repeated
field simply truncates it zero instead of deleting the object.

For unpopulated messages, we return an invalid value, instead of the prior
behavior of returning a typed nil-pointer to the Go type for the message.
The approach is problematic because it assumes that
1) all messages are always implemented on a pointer reciever
2) a typed nil-pointer is an appropriate "read-only, but empty" message
These assumptions are not true of all message types (e.g., dynamic messages).

Change-Id: Ie96e6744c890308d9de738b6cf01d3b19e7e7c6a
Reviewed-on: https://go-review.googlesource.com/c/150319
Reviewed-by: Damien Neil <dneil@google.com>
2018-11-27 19:13:59 +00:00
..
cmd reflect/protoreflect: add Descriptor.Options method 2018-10-23 23:44:11 +00:00
detrand internal/detrand: new package for deterministically random functionality 2018-11-27 02:14:04 +00:00
encoding internal/detrand: new package for deterministically random functionality 2018-11-27 02:14:04 +00:00
errors internal/errors: initial commit 2018-08-02 18:28:47 +00:00
flags internal/flags: add package to control specialized functionality 2018-08-03 22:59:53 +00:00
impl reflect/protoreflect: clarify Get semantics on unpopulated fields 2018-11-27 19:13:59 +00:00
pragma internal/pragma: package to statically enforce certain properties 2018-08-06 21:47:01 +00:00
protogen/goldentest protogen: generate .meta file with code annotations 2018-10-16 17:22:41 +00:00
set internal/set: add set package for set data structures 2018-08-09 21:46:35 +00:00
testprotos/legacy internal/testprotos/legacy: initial commit 2018-11-13 22:37:52 +00:00
value reflect/protoreflect: clarify Get semantics on unpopulated fields 2018-11-27 19:13:59 +00:00