Show HN: Scope-structured arena memory for C, O(1) cleanup, no GC/borrow checker
A memory model offering O(1) cleanup and safety guarantees, aiming to replace GC and borrow checking for a class of programs by preventing dangling pointers and managing cross-scope lifetimes explicitly.
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A memory model offering O(1) cleanup and safety guarantees, aiming to replace GC and borrow checking for a class of programs by preventing dangling pointers and managing cross-scope lifetimes explicitly.
Ariandel presents a significant innovation in memory management for C, proposing a scope-structured arena model that achieves O(1) cleanup and enhanced safety. By providing a default mechanism against dangling pointers and explicit cross-scope lifetime extension, it aims to mitigate common memory-related bugs without the overhead of garbage collection or the complexity of borrow checkers. This approach targets performance-critical systems programming where deterministic memory behavior and high efficiency are paramount. If proven sound across a broad class of programs, Ariandel could influence future language design and memory management strategies, offering a compelling alternative to existing paradigms, particularly for embedded and real-time systems.
Ariandel is a memory model where every heap object lives in a scope-owned arena. Scope exit resets the arena in O(1) — one bump pointer write and one free — regardless of how many objects were allocated.The safety default: allocating functions return ARENA_PTR handles (packed arena_id + offset integers), not raw pointers. A dangling pointer at a function return boundary is unconstructable by default. Cross-scope lifetime extension is explicit — you enter the target arena via SCOPE(ptr) before allocating, which routes the object into the outer arena without transferring ownership.Benchmarks (no optimization flags): 1M-node tree cleanup drops from 31ms to 1ms (~30×). There's a real regression in tight inner loops (~0.76×) because DEREF can't hoist the base pointer the way a compiler would — the spec documents this honestly.This is a C macro-based proof-of-concept for a memory model I'm targeting in a compiled language. The interesting question isn't the C implementation — it's whether scope-structured arena routing is a sound replacement for GC and borrow checking across the class of programs that matter.Repo: https://github.com/hollow-arena/ariandel — SPEC.md has the full model including concurrency semantics and the comparison to Tofte & Talpin region-based memory.
scope-structured arena memory
C
O(1) cleanup
GC (no)
borrow checker (no)
heap object
scope-owned arena
bump pointer write
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What is Scope-structured arena memory for C, O(1) cleanup, no GC/borrow checker?
Scope-structured arena memory for C, O(1) cleanup, no GC/borrow checker is analyzed by our AI as: A memory model offering O(1) cleanup and safety guarantees, aiming to replace GC and borrow checking for a class of programs by preventing dangling pointers and managing cross-scope lifetimes explicitly.. It focuses on Ariandel presents a significant innovation in memory management for C, proposing a scope-structured arena model that achieves O(1) cleanup and enha...
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When was Scope-structured arena memory for C, O(1) cleanup, no GC/borrow checker publicly launched?
The initial public indexing or launch date for Scope-structured arena memory for C, O(1) cleanup, no GC/borrow checker within our tracked developer communities was recorded on April 15, 2026.
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Scope-structured arena memory for C, O(1) cleanup, no GC/borrow checker has achieved measurable traction, logging over 4 traction score and facilitating 1 recorded discussions or engagements.
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Based on metadata extraction, Scope-structured arena memory for C, O(1) cleanup, no GC/borrow checker is categorized under topics such as: scope-structured arena memory, C, O(1) cleanup, GC (no).
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How does the creator describe Scope-structured arena memory for C, O(1) cleanup, no GC/borrow checker?
The original author or development team describes the product as follows: "Ariandel is a memory model where every heap object lives in a scope-owned arena. Scope exit resets the arena in O(1) — one bump pointer write and one free — regardless of how many objects were allo..."
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