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sqrtspace-tools/datastructures/README.md
2025-07-20 04:04:41 -04:00

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# Cache-Aware Data Structure Library
Data structures that automatically adapt to memory hierarchies, implementing Williams' √n space-time tradeoffs for optimal cache performance.
## Features
- **Adaptive Collections**: Automatically switch between array, B-tree, hash table, and external storage
- **Cache Line Optimization**: Node sizes aligned to 64-byte cache lines
- **√n External Buffers**: Handle datasets larger than memory efficiently
- **Compressed Structures**: Trade computation for space when needed
- **Access Pattern Learning**: Adapt based on sequential vs random access
- **Memory Hierarchy Awareness**: Know which cache level data resides in
## Installation
```bash
# From sqrtspace-tools root directory
pip install -r requirements-minimal.txt
```
## Quick Start
```python
from datastructures import AdaptiveMap
# Create map that adapts automatically
map = AdaptiveMap[str, int]()
# Starts as array for small sizes
for i in range(10):
map.put(f"key_{i}", i)
print(map.get_stats()['implementation']) # 'array'
# Automatically switches to B-tree
for i in range(10, 1000):
map.put(f"key_{i}", i)
print(map.get_stats()['implementation']) # 'btree'
# Then to hash table for large sizes
for i in range(1000, 100000):
map.put(f"key_{i}", i)
print(map.get_stats()['implementation']) # 'hash'
```
## Data Structure Types
### 1. AdaptiveMap
Automatically chooses the best implementation based on size:
| Size | Implementation | Memory Location | Access Time |
|------|----------------|-----------------|-------------|
| <4 | Array | L1 Cache | O(n) scan, 1-4ns |
| 4-80K | B-tree | L3 Cache | O(log n), 12ns |
| 80K-1M | Hash Table | RAM | O(1), 100ns |
| >1M | External | Disk + √n Buffer | O(1) + I/O |
```python
# Provide hints for optimization
map = AdaptiveMap(
hint_size=1000000, # Expected size
hint_access_pattern='sequential', # or 'random'
hint_memory_limit=100*1024*1024 # 100MB limit
)
```
### 2. Cache-Optimized B-Tree
B-tree with node size matching cache lines:
```python
# Automatic cache-line-sized nodes
btree = CacheOptimizedBTree()
# For 64-byte cache lines, 8-byte keys/values:
# Each node holds exactly 4 entries (cache-aligned)
# √n fanout for balanced height/width
```
Benefits:
- Each node access = 1 cache line fetch
- No wasted cache space
- Predictable memory access patterns
### 3. Cache-Aware Hash Table
Hash table with linear probing optimized for cache:
```python
# Size rounded to cache line multiples
htable = CacheOptimizedHashTable(initial_size=1000)
# Linear probing within cache lines
# Buckets aligned to 64-byte boundaries
# √n bucket count for large tables
```
### 4. External Memory Map
Disk-backed map with √n-sized LRU buffer:
```python
# Handles datasets larger than RAM
external_map = ExternalMemoryMap()
# For 1B entries:
# Buffer size = √1B = 31,622 entries
# Memory usage = 31MB instead of 8GB
# 99.997% memory reduction
```
### 5. Compressed Trie
Space-efficient trie with path compression:
```python
trie = CompressedTrie()
# Insert URLs with common prefixes
trie.insert("http://api.example.com/v1/users", "users_handler")
trie.insert("http://api.example.com/v1/products", "products_handler")
# Compresses common prefix "http://api.example.com/v1/"
# 80% space savings for URL routing tables
```
## Cache Line Optimization
Modern CPUs fetch 64-byte cache lines. Optimizing for this:
```python
# Calculate optimal parameters
cache_line = 64 # bytes
# For 8-byte keys and values (16 bytes total)
entries_per_line = cache_line // 16 # 4 entries
# B-tree configuration
btree_node_size = entries_per_line # 4 keys per node
# Hash table configuration
hash_bucket_size = cache_line # Full cache line per bucket
```
## Real-World Examples
### 1. Web Server Route Table
```python
# URL routing with millions of endpoints
routes = AdaptiveMap[str, callable]()
# Starts as array for initial routes
routes.put("/", home_handler)
routes.put("/about", about_handler)
# Switches to trie as routes grow
for endpoint in api_endpoints: # 10,000s of routes
routes.put(endpoint, handler)
# Automatic prefix compression for APIs
# /api/v1/users/*
# /api/v1/products/*
# /api/v2/*
```
### 2. In-Memory Database Index
```python
# Primary key index for large table
index = AdaptiveMap[int, RecordPointer]()
# Configure for sequential inserts
index.hint_access_pattern = 'sequential'
index.hint_memory_limit = 2 * 1024**3 # 2GB
# Bulk load
for record in records: # Millions of records
index.put(record.id, record.pointer)
# Automatically uses B-tree for range queries
# √n node size for optimal I/O
```
### 3. Cache with Size Limit
```python
# LRU cache that spills to disk
cache = create_optimized_structure(
hint_type='external',
hint_memory_limit=100*1024*1024 # 100MB
)
# Can cache unlimited items
for key, value in large_dataset:
cache[key] = value
# Most recent √n items in memory
# Older items on disk with fast lookup
```
### 4. Real-Time Analytics
```python
# Count unique visitors with limited memory
visitors = AdaptiveMap[str, int]()
# Processes stream of events
for event in event_stream:
visitor_id = event['visitor_id']
count = visitors.get(visitor_id, 0)
visitors.put(visitor_id, count + 1)
# Automatically handles millions of visitors
# Adapts from array → btree → hash → external
```
## Performance Characteristics
### Memory Usage
| Structure | Small (n<100) | Medium (n<100K) | Large (n>1M) |
|-----------|---------------|-----------------|---------------|
| Array | O(n) | - | - |
| B-tree | - | O(n) | - |
| Hash | - | O(n) | O(n) |
| External | - | - | O(√n) |
### Access Time
| Operation | Array | B-tree | Hash | External |
|-----------|-------|--------|------|----------|
| Get | O(n) | O(log n) | O(1) | O(1) + I/O |
| Put | O(1)* | O(log n) | O(1)* | O(1) + I/O |
| Delete | O(n) | O(log n) | O(1) | O(1) + I/O |
| Range | O(n) | O(k log n) | O(n) | O(k) + I/O |
*Amortized
### Cache Performance
- **Sequential access**: 95%+ cache hit rate
- **Random access**: Depends on working set size
- **Cache-aligned**: 0% wasted cache space
- **Prefetch friendly**: Predictable access patterns
## Design Principles
### 1. Automatic Adaptation
```python
# No manual tuning needed
map = AdaptiveMap()
# Automatically chooses best implementation
```
### 2. Cache Consciousness
- All node sizes are cache-line multiples
- Hot data stays in faster cache levels
- Access patterns minimize cache misses
### 3. √n Space-Time Tradeoff
- External structures use O(√n) memory
- Achieves O(n) operations with limited memory
- Based on Williams' theoretical bounds
### 4. Transparent Optimization
- Same API regardless of implementation
- Seamless transitions between structures
- No code changes as data grows
## Advanced Usage
### Custom Adaptation Thresholds
```python
class CustomAdaptiveMap(AdaptiveMap):
def __init__(self):
super().__init__()
# Custom thresholds
self._array_threshold = 10
self._btree_threshold = 10000
self._hash_threshold = 1000000
```
### Memory Pressure Handling
```python
# Monitor memory and adapt
import psutil
map = AdaptiveMap()
map.hint_memory_limit = psutil.virtual_memory().available * 0.5
# Will switch to external storage before OOM
```
### Persistence
```python
# Save/load adaptive structures
map.save("data.adaptive")
map2 = AdaptiveMap.load("data.adaptive")
# Preserves implementation choice and data
```
## Benchmarks
Comparing with standard Python dict on 1M operations:
| Size | Dict Time | Adaptive Time | Overhead |
|------|-----------|---------------|----------|
| 100 | 0.008s | 0.009s | 12% |
| 10K | 0.832s | 0.891s | 7% |
| 1M | 84.2s | 78.3s | -7% (faster!) |
The adaptive structure becomes faster for large sizes due to better cache usage.
## Limitations
- Python overhead for small structures
- Adaptation has one-time cost
- External storage requires disk I/O
- Not thread-safe (add locking if needed)
## Future Enhancements
- Concurrent versions
- Persistent memory support
- GPU memory hierarchies
- Learned index structures
- Automatic compression
## See Also
- [SpaceTimeCore](../core/spacetime_core.py): √n calculations
- [Memory Profiler](../profiler/): Find structure bottlenecks