NAME
CHI::Memoize - Make functions faster with memoization, via CHI
VERSION
version 0.07
SYNOPSIS
use CHI::Memoize qw(:all);
# Straight memoization in memory
memoize('func');
memoize('Some::Package::func');
# Memoize to a file or to memcached
memoize( 'func', driver => 'File', root_dir => '/path/to/cache' );
memoize( 'func', driver => 'Memcached', servers => ["127.0.0.1:11211"] );
# Expire after one hour
memoize('func', expires_in => '1h');
# Memoize based on the second and third argument to func
memoize('func', key => sub { $_[1], $_[2] });
DESCRIPTION
"`Memoizing' a function makes it faster by trading space for time. It
does this by caching the return values of the function in a table. If
you call the function again with the same arguments, `memoize' jumps in
and gives you the value out of the table, instead of letting the
function compute the value all over again." -- quoted from the original
Memoize
For a bit of history and motivation, see
http://www.openswartz.com/2012/05/06/memoize-revisiting-a-twelve-year-old-api/
`CHI::Memoize' provides the same facility as Memoize, but backed by CHI.
This means, among other things, that you can
* specify expiration times (expires_in) and conditions (expire_if)
* memoize to different backends, e.g. File, Memcached, DBI, or to
multilevel caches
* handle arbitrarily complex function arguments (via CHI key
serialization)
FUNCTIONS
All of these are importable; only `memoize' is imported by default. `use
Memoize qw(:all)' will import them all as well as the `NO_MEMOIZE'
constant.
memoize ($func, %options)
Creates a new function wrapped around *$func* that caches results
based on passed arguments.
*$func* can be a function name (with or without a package prefix) or
an anonymous function. In the former case, the name is rebound to
the new function. In either case a code ref to the new wrapper
function is returned.
# Memoize a named function
memoize('func');
memoize('Some::Package::func');
# Memoize an anonymous function
$anon = memoize($anon);
By default, the cache key is formed from combining the full function
name, the calling context ("L" or "S"), and all the function
arguments with canonical JSON (sorted hash keys). e.g. these calls
will be memoized together:
memoized_function({a => 5, b => 6, c => { d => 7, e => 8 }});
memoized_function({b => 6, c => { e => 8, d => 7 }, a => 5});
because the two hashes being passed are canonically the same. But
these will be memoized separately because of context:
my $scalar = memoized_function(5);
my @list = memoized_function(5);
By default, the cache namespace is formed from the full function
name or the stringified code reference. This allows you to
introspect and clear the memoized results for a particular function.
`memoize' throws an error if *$func* is already memoized.
See OPTIONS below for what can go in the options hash.
memoized ($func)
Returns a CHI::Memoize::Info object if *$func* has been memoized, or
undef if it has not been memoized.
# The CHI cache where memoize results are stored
#
my $cache = memoized($func)->cache;
$cache->clear;
# Code references to the original function and to the new wrapped function
#
my $orig = memoized($func)->orig;
my $wrapped = memoized($func)->wrapped;
unmemoize ($func)
Removes the wrapper around *$func*, restoring it to its original
unmemoized state. Also clears the memoize cache if possible (not
supported by all drivers, particularly memcached). Throws an error
if *$func* has not been memoized.
memoize('Some::Package::func');
...
unmemoize('Some::Package::func');
OPTIONS
The following options can be passed to memoize.
key Specifies a code reference that takes arguments passed to the
function and returns a cache key. The key may be returned as a list,
list reference or hash reference; it will automatically be
serialized to JSON in canonical mode (sorted hash keys).
For example, this uses the second and third argument to the function
as a key:
memoize('func', key => sub { @_[1..2] });
and this is useful for functions that accept a list of key/value
pairs:
# Ignore order of key/value pairs
memoize('func', key => sub { %@_ });
Regardless of what key you specify, it will automatically be
prefixed with the full function name and the calling context ("L" or
"S").
If the coderef returns `CHI::Memoize::NO_MEMOIZE' (or `NO_MEMOIZE'
if you import it), this call won't be memoized. This is useful if
you have a cache of limited size or if you know certain arguments
will yield nondeterministic results. e.g.
memoize('func', key => sub { $is_worth_caching ? @_ : NO_MEMOIZE });
set and get options
You can pass any of CHI's set options (e.g. expires_in,
expires_variance) or get options (e.g. expire_if, busy_lock). e.g.
# Expire after one hour
memoize('func', expires_in => '1h');
# Expire when a particular condition occurs
memoize('func', expire_if => sub { ... });
cache options
Any remaining options will be passed to the CHI constructor to
generate the cache:
# Store in file instead of memory
memoize( 'func', driver => 'File', root_dir => '/path/to/cache' );
# Store in memcached instead of memory
memoize('func', driver => 'Memcached', servers => ["127.0.0.1:11211"]);
Unless specified, the namespace is generated from the full name of
the function being memoized.
You can also specify an existing cache object:
# Store in memcached instead of memory
my $cache = CHI->new(driver => 'Memcached', servers => ["127.0.0.1:11211"]);
memoize('func', cache => $cache);
CLONED VS RAW REFERENCES
By default `CHI', and thus `CHI::Memoize', returns a deep clone of the
stored value *even* when caching in memory. e.g. in this code
# func returns a list reference
memoize('func');
my $ref1 = func();
my $ref2 = func();
`$ref1' and `$ref2' will be references to two completely different lists
which have the same contained values. More specifically, the value is
serialized by Storable on `set' and deserialized (hence cloned) on
`get'.
The advantage here is that it is safe to modify a reference returned
from a memoized function; your modifications won't affect the cached
value.
my $ref1 = func();
push(@$ref1, 3, 4, 5);
my $ref2 = func();
# $ref2 does not have 3, 4, 5
The disadvantage is that it takes extra time to serialize and
deserialize the value, and that some values like code references may be
more difficult to store. And cloning may not be what you want at all,
e.g. if you are returning objects.
Alternatively you can use CHI::Driver::RawMemory, which will store raw
references the way `Memoize' does. Now, however, any modifications to
the contents of a returned reference will affect the cached value.
memoize('func', driver => 'RawMemory');
my $ref1 = func();
push(@$ref1, 3, 4, 5);
my $ref2 = func();
# $ref1 eq $ref2
# $ref2 has 3, 4, 5
CAVEATS
The caveats of Memoize apply here as well. To summarize:
* Do not memoize a function whose behavior depends on program state
other than its own arguments, unless you explicitly capture that
state in your computed key.
* Do not memoize a function with side effects, as the side effects
won't happen on a cache hit.
* Do not memoize a very simple function, as the costs of caching will
outweigh the costs of the function itself.
KNOWN BUGS
* Memoizing a function will affect its call stack and its prototype.
RELATED MODULES
A number of modules address a subset of the problems addressed by this
module, including:
* Memoize::Expire - pluggable expiration of memoized values
* Memoize::ExpireLRU - provides LRU expiration for Memoize
* Memoize::Memcached - use a memcached cache to memoize functions
SUPPORT
Questions and feedback are welcome, and should be directed to the
perl-cache mailing list:
http://groups.google.com/group/perl-cache-discuss
Bugs and feature requests will be tracked at RT:
http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/Bugs.html?Dist=CHI-Memoize
bug-chi-memoize@rt.cpan.org
The latest source code can be browsed and fetched at:
http://github.com/jonswar/perl-chi-memoize
git clone git://github.com/jonswar/perl-chi-memoize.git
SEE ALSO
CHI, Memoize
AUTHOR
Jonathan Swartz <swartz@pobox.com>
COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
This software is copyright (c) 2011 by Jonathan Swartz.
This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.