CppCon 2024

"ERROR: RealtimeSanitizer: call to malloc detected during execution of realtime function MyAudioCallback::process!"

"Warning: MyAudioCallback::process must not call blocking fuction ‘SkectchyCall`"

Realtime programmers working on mission-critical audio, autonomous vehicle, and aerospace code are well-acquainted with the golden rule: “Thou shalt not call time-unbounded operations in your realtime thread.” Despite its importance, tools to enforce this rule have been non-existent—until now!

In the latest version of Clang, two new features help uphold realtime guarantees by preventing `malloc`, system calls, and user-defined "unsafe" functions. First, we introduce the Realtime Sanitizer, which detects calls to `malloc`, `pthread_mutex_lock`, and other problematic functions in your realtime code at runtime. Next, we explore the `-Wperf-constraints` system, which provides similar feedback statically at compile time. We will compare and contrast these methods and offer recommendations on how to integrate them into your codebase effectively.

By leveraging these new tools, you can ensure your real-time systems remain robust, reliable, and ready for any challenge.