kythe.io@v0.0.68-0.20240422202219-7225dbc01741/kythe/docs/schema/indexing-generated-code.txt

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= Indexing Generated Code

:Revision: 1.0
:toc2:
:toclevels: 3
:priority: 999

Source code generators like link:https://www.gnu.org/software/flex/[Flex],
link:https://www.gnu.org/software/bison/[GNU Bison], and
link:http://www.swig.org/[SWIG] take a high-level description of a software
component and generate the code necessary to realize that component in a
lower-level or general-purpose programming language. Users browsing projects
that use these components usually want cross-references to take them
from use sites of a generated interface to the high-level code that brought
that interface into being. They do not normally want to see the generated
implementation, as this is often difficult (or uninteresting) to read. This
document describes how to encode information about generated code to permit
cross-language links.

To make the discussion easier to understand let's pretend we are working with
two languages: SourceLang and TargetLang. SourceLang has `.source` file and TargetLang
has `.target` files. We also have a tool (generator) that can take generate
`foo.target` file from `foo.source` file. We have following components:

* Source Indexer - Kythe indexer that takes `.source` files and outputs index
  data.
* Target Indexer - Kythe indexer that takes `.target` files and outputs index
  data.
* Generator - tool that produces `.target` files from `.source` files.
* Post processor - Kythe tool that takes all index data produced by all
  indexers, processes it and outputs final Kythe graph that contains data
  for both SourceLang and TargetLang.

Now we want to teach Kythe how to create cross-references between generated
`foo.target` file and original `foo.source` file. The main idea is pretty simple:
Generator has to output extra data containing mapping of elements in `foo.target`
to the original elements from `foo.source`. Then when Target Indexer is indexing
`foo.target` it will use that mapping to output *generates* or *imputes* edges.
These edges connect nodes from `foo.target` with nodes in `foo.source`.

Kythe doesn't require implementors to use one concrete approach for passing
mapping metadata and outputting *generates* and *imputes* edges. Below we
describe two different approaches, each has its own pros and cons. But in
both cases it is assumed that implementors can change Generator and Target
Indexer. If possible the *generates* approach is preferred as it requires less
post-processing work.

TIP: You can find an example implementation at
link:https://github.com/kythe/kythe/tree/master/kythe/examples/proto[GitHub].
The current sample web UI does not interpret the parts of the schema we will
use; this is a work in progress.

== Java To JavaScript with *imputes* edges

This approach is generic and works for any combination of SourceLang and
TargetLang. In this example we generate JavaScript files from Java file so
SourceLang is Java and TargetLang is JavaScript. Given `Color.java`:

[source,java]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
public enum Color {
  RED;
}
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Generator produces `color.js`:
[source,javascript]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
const Color = {
  RED: 0,
};
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=== Changes to Generator

To support cross-references betwen `color.js` and `Color.java` we need to update
Generator to output the following mapping data for `Color`, `RED` elements.

[source,json]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{
    "type": "kythe0",
    "meta": [{
        "type": "anchor_anchor",
        "source_begin": 13,
        "source_end": 18,
        "target_begin": 6,
        "target_end": 11,
        "edge": "/kythe/edge/imputes",
        "source_vname": {
            "corpus": "corpus",
            "path": "path/to/Color.java"
        }
    }, {
        "type": "anchor_anchor",
        "source_begin": 22,
        "source_end": 25,
        "target_begin": 18,
        "target_end": 21,
        "edge": "/kythe/edge/imputes",
        "source_vname": {
            "corpus": "corpus",
            "path": "path/to/Color.java"
        }
    }]
}
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This mapping has 2 `meta` entries. The first entry for `Color`, the second for
`RED`. Note:

* Each entry doesn't contain names of elements. Each entry contains only
  position of elements in the source (`Color.java`) and target (`color.js`)
  files.
* Each position is defined as byte offset inside file and not as line/column.
  This is required because in Kythe anchors are defined using byte offsets and
  not line/column. In this example JavaScript indexer will process this
  mapping and will need to output *anchor* for `Color.java` and indexer
  doesn't have access to the `Color.java` file (it has access only to JS
  files). Because of that JS indexer can't translate line/column to byte
  offset.
* Entry doesn't contain vnames of elements in `Color.java` or `color.js` and
  instead contains positions. VNames of nodes are internal details of each
  indexer and subject to change. Generator usually a standalone tool that
  doesn't know rules for producing vnames for specific language so it's
  impossible for Generator to output vnames of nodes. If in your case
  VNames are stable and well-specified you can use simpler approach
  using *generates* described in `Protocol Buffer` section below.

To pass this mapping to the JavaScript Indexer Generator will append it
as a comment at the last line of `color.js`:

[source,javascript]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
const Color = {
  RED: 0,
};

// Kythe Indexing Metadata:
// {"type":"kythe0","meta":[{"type":"anchor_anchor","source_begin":13,...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inlining metadata inside `color.js` has benefit of avoiding passing extra
files to Indexer. All Indexer needs is to know that some JavaScript files can
contain metadata on the last line and parse it.

One downside is that it adds noise to `color.js` but usually generated
files are invisible to developers so it's not a big concern.

==== Changes to JavaScript Indexer

On JavaScript Indexer side we need to parse metadata and output *imputes*
edges. To parse metadata indexer can check last two lines of all `.js` files
and see if they contain `// Kythe Indexing Metadata:` and if so - parse
the last line as JSON.

For each `meta` entry indexer should do the following:

1. Output an *anchor* using `source_begin` and `source_end`. `source_vname`
   should be used as file containing the anchor.
2. Find a JavaScript node that has *defines/binding* anchor with the same
   `target_begin/end` position.
3. Ouptut one *imputes* edge from the *anchor* created at step 1 to the node
   found at step 2.

Note that this only applies to meta entries with type `anchor_anchor`. For other
types structure might be different. See link:https://github.com/kythe/kythe/issues/3711[issue #3711].

Here is what JavaScript indexer outputs for the `Color` element using the
rules above:

[kythe,dot,"JavaScript Indexer graph",0]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
digraph G {
size="7,7";
coloranchorjava [label="anchor\nColor.java:0:12-17"];
redanchorjava [label="anchor\nColor.java:1:2-5"];
coloranchorjs [label="anchor\ncolor.js:0:6-11"];
redanchorjs [label="anchor\ncolor.js:0:2-5"];
colornode [label="Color node\nin JS"];
rednode [label="RED node\nin JS"];

coloranchorjs -> colornode [label = "defines/binding"];
redanchorjs -> rednode [label = "defines/binding"];
coloranchorjava -> colornode [label = "imputes"];
redanchorjava -> rednode [label = "imputes"];
}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Output of Java Indexer looks like this:

[kythe,dot,"Java Indexer graph",0]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
digraph G {
size="7,7";
coloranchorjava [label="anchor\nColor.java:0:12-17"];
redanchorjava [label="anchor\nColor.java:1:2-5"];
colornodejava [label="Color node\nin Java"];
rednodejava [label="RED node\nin Java"];

coloranchorjava -> colornodejava [label = "defines/binding"];
redanchorjava -> rednodejava [label = "defines/binding"];
}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=== Post-processor

Once Java and JavaScript Indexers finished their output is merged and
postprocessor finds all anchors that have both *defines/binding* and
*imputes* edges and creates *generates* edge:

[kythe,dot,"Processed final graph",0]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
digraph G {
size="7,7";
coloranchorjava [label="anchor\nColor.java:0:12-17"];
redanchorjava [label="anchor\nColor.java:1:2-5"];
coloranchorjs [label="anchor\ncolor.js:0:6-11"];
redanchorjs [label="anchor\ncolor.js:0:2-5"];
colornode [label="Color node\nin JS"];
rednode [label="RED node\nin JS"];
colornodejava [label="Color node\nin Java"];
rednodejava [label="RED node\nin Java"];

coloranchorjs -> colornode [label = "defines/binding"];
redanchorjs -> rednode [label = "defines/binding"];
coloranchorjava -> colornode [label = "imputes"];
redanchorjava -> rednode [label = "imputes"];
coloranchorjava -> colornodejava [label = "defines/binding"];
redanchorjava -> rednodejava [label = "defines/binding"];
colornodejava -> colornode [label = "generates"];
rednodejava -> rednode [label = "generates"];
}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is the end state. Now tools using Kythe graph can see that Color enum
in JS is generated by Color enum in Java and perform proper action (for example
IDE upon clicking on `Color` in JS file will go to the definition of `Color`
enum in java file.

== Protocol Buffers with *generates* edges

This approach is easier to implement compared to *imputes* approach described
above, but it requires tighter integration with Indexer and Generator. When
Generator outputs code it also adds a mapping as in the *imputes* approach,
but instead of mapping location to location it outputs VNames of nodes from
`foo.source`. It requires Generator to know exactly what VNames will be produced
by the Source Indexer. This approach is feasible when either VNames either
have simple stable form or Generator can reuse code from Source Indexer to
generate VNames.

In this example we generate C++ files from Protocol buffer definitions. So
SourceLang is Protocol Buffers and TargetLang is C++.

The Kythe project uses
link:https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/[protocol buffers] for
data interchange. The `protoc` compiler reads a domain-specific language
that describes messages and synthesizes code that serializes, deserializes,
and manipulates these messages. It can generate code in a number of different
target languages by swapping out backend components. These accept an encoding
of the message descriptions in the original source file and emit source text.

[kythe,dot,"protoc architecture",0]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
digraph G {
size="7,7";
protosrc [label=".proto", shape=note];
frontend [label="protoc", shape=rectangle];
descriptor [label="descriptor", shape=note];
backend [label="C++ language backend", shape=rectangle];
ccsrc [label=".pb.h", shape=note];
protosrc -> frontend;
frontend -> descriptor;
descriptor -> backend;
backend -> ccsrc;
}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=== Indexing `.proto` definitions

`.proto` files are written in a domain-specific programming language for
describing various properties about messages and other data. It is interesting
to index these on their own, as messages in one `.proto` file may be used in
another `.proto` file. Here is a very simple example of the language:

[source,c]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
syntax = "proto3";
package kythe.examples.proto.example;

// A single proto message.
message Foo {
}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This file describes the empty message `kythe.examples.proto.example.Foo`
using features from version 3 of the language. When run through `protoc`
with the appropriate options set, it will generate the interface `example.pb.h`
and the implementation `example.pb.cc`. These may be used to interact with
`Foo` messages in $$C++$$.

As it turns out, `protoc` can be coerced into saving the descriptor that it
passes to its backends. Ordinarily, this descriptor would merely be an
abstract version of the `.proto` input file that discards syntax and records
only the details necessary to generate source code. If asked, `protoc` will
also keep track of source locations (`--include_source_info`) and data about
the `.proto` files that are (transitively) imported (`--include_imports`).
This information is sufficient to build a Kythe graph for a given `.proto`
definition file. It will become important later that every object that the
descriptor describes has an address, like "4.0", that corresponds (roughly)
to its position in the descriptor's AST. These addresses are used as keys into
the table that keeps track of source locations in the original `.proto` file.

[kythe,dot,"protoc architecture with indexer",0]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
digraph G {
size="7,7";
protosrc [label=".proto", shape=note];
frontend [label="protoc", shape=rectangle];
descriptor [label="descriptor", shape=note];
descriptorfile [label="FileDescriptorSet", shape=note, color=blue];
indexer [label="Kythe proto_indexer", shape=rectangle, color=blue];
backend [label="C++ language backend", shape=rectangle];
ccsrc [label=".pb.h", shape=note];
entries [label="Kythe entries", shape=note, color=blue];
protosrc -> frontend;
frontend -> descriptor;
frontend -> descriptorfile [color=blue];
protosrc -> indexer [color=blue];
descriptorfile -> indexer [color=blue];
descriptor -> backend;
backend -> ccsrc;
indexer -> entries [color=blue];
}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This extra information is stored as a file that contains a
`proto2.FileDescriptorSet` message, which in turn is a list of the
`proto2.FileDescriptorProto` messages used in the course of processing `.proto`
input. Note that this message does not contain `.proto` source text, so the
`proto_indexer` must have access to the original source files.

We can add a verifier assertion to check that `Foo` declares a Kythe node:

[source,c]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
syntax = "proto3";
package kythe.examples.proto.example;

// A single proto message.
//- @Foo defines/binding MessageFoo?
message Foo {
}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

and see that it was unified with the appropriate VName:

.Output
----
MessageFoo: EVar(... = App(vname,
    (4.0, kythe, "", kythe/examples/proto/example.proto, protobuf)))
----

== Using generated source code

Imagine that we have a simple $$C++$$ user of our generated source code for
`Foo`. Its code, with a verifier assertion, looks like this:

[source,c]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#include "kythe/examples/proto/example.pb.h"

//- @Foo ref CxxFooDecl?
void UseProto(kythe::examples::proto::example::Foo* foo) {
}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Kythe pipeline for indexing our combined program looks like this:

[kythe,dot,"first indexing pipeline",0]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
digraph G {
size="7,7!";
usersrc [label="proto_user.cc", shape=note, color=blue];
ccextractor [label="C++ extractor", shape=rectangle, color=blue];
kzip [label="proto_user.kzip", shape=note, color=blue];
protosrc [label=".proto", shape=note];
frontend [label="protoc", shape=rectangle];
descriptor [label="descriptor", shape=note];
descriptorfile [label="FileDescriptorSet", shape=note];
indexer [label="Kythe proto_indexer", shape=rectangle];
ccindexer [label="Kythe C++ indexer", shape=rectangle, color=blue];
backend [label="C++ language backend", shape=rectangle];
ccsrc [label=".pb.h", shape=note];
entries [label="Kythe entries", shape=note];
protosrc -> frontend;
frontend -> descriptor;
frontend -> descriptorfile;
protosrc -> indexer;
descriptorfile -> indexer;
descriptor -> backend;
backend -> ccsrc;
indexer -> entries;
usersrc -> ccextractor [color=blue];
ccsrc -> ccextractor [color=blue];
usersrc -> ccsrc [color=blue];
ccextractor -> kzip [color=blue];
kzip -> ccindexer [color=blue];
ccindexer -> entries [color=blue];
}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When we use the verifier to inspect the resulting `CxxFooDecl`, we see that
it has not been unified with the VName for `Foo`:

.Output
----
CxxFooDecl: EVar(... =
    App(vname, (srl0y/pwih+G6wsjFLMTVKQPC7lLH3/9MVK2d2aJHeE=,
                kythe, bazel-out/genfiles, kythe/examples/proto/example.pb.h,
                c++)))
----

This is because the `kythe::examples::proto::example::Foo` type is a $$C++$$
type defined in `example.pb.h`. That it was defined in some original `.proto`
file has no meaning to the $$C++$$ compiler. Furthermore, the Kythe $$C++$$
indexer has no understanding of the `protoc` language and the VNames that the
Kythe proto_indexer produces.

Our goal is to add edges in the graph between `CxxFooDecl` and `MessageFoo`
so that clients can take into account their relationship when displaying
cross-references or answering other queries. We do not want to unify them in the
same node, as they are legitimately different objects. Users may wish to
navigate to the generated $$C++$$ code for `CxxFooDecl` or to view uses of
`MessageFoo` in other languages. To support these different uses, we will emit
a link:/docs/schema#generates[generates] edge such that `MessageFoo`
*generates* `CxxFooDecl`. Clients can choose to follow the edge or to disregard
it.

Observe that the $$C++$$ indexer and `protoc` backend both observe the same
content in the `.pb.h` file; therefore, both programs see the same offsets
for various tokens. If the `protoc` backend were to link those offsets back
to the objects in the `FileDescriptorProto` using well-known names--and if the
Kythe proto_indexer guaranteed a particular mechanism for generating VNames
from those well-known names--we could close the loop in the $$C++$$ indexer by
emitting *generates* edges to the proto_indexer's nodes whenever the $$C++$$
indexer trips over the `protoc` backend's marked offsets.

In other words, if the `.pb.h` contained code like:
[source,c]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...
class Foo {
...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

and the `protoc` backend that generated it reported that the text range
`Foo` was associated with an object in its original `FileDescriptorProto` at
some location encoded as "4.0"—and the proto_indexer guaranteed it would
always emit objects with signatures based on their descriptor locations--the
$$C++$$ indexer would only need to watch for *defines/binding* edges starting at
that text range. Should such an edge be emitted, the $$C++$$ indexer would also
emit a *generates* edge to the `proto` node.

=== Annotations in `protoc` backends

We have already seen how to command the `protoc` frontend to emit location
information for `.proto` source files. The frontend does not, however, know
anything about the source code that its various backends emit. We must pass
additional flags to these backends to get them to produce location information
as `proto2.GeneratedCodeInfo` messages. These messages connect byte offsets
in generated source code with paths in the `proto2.FileDescriptorProto` AST.
These paths are the same ones used by the `proto2.SourceCodeInfo` message that
the Kythe proto_indexer consumes; they are the paths we will use to link up
`protobuf` language nodes with the nodes for generated source code.

Each `protoc` backend must be individually instrumented to produce
`proto2.GeneratedCodeInfo` messages. To turn annotation on for the $$C++$$
backend, you can pass `--cpp_out=annotate_headers=1:normal/output/path` to
`protoc`. In practice, you will also need to provide an `annotation_pragma_name`
and an `annotation_guard_name`, so the full `cpp_out` value may look like
`annotate_headers=1,annotation_pragma_name=kythe_metadata,annotation_guard_name=KYTHE_IS_RUNNING:normal/output/path`.

When `annotate_headers=1` is asserted to the $$C++$$ backend, it will generate
`.meta` files alongside any files with annotations. For example, in the same
directory as `example.pb.h`, you will find an `example.pb.h.meta` file. This
file contains a serialized `proto2.GeneratedCodeInfo` message. This message
contains a series of spans in `example.pb.h`, the filenames to the `.proto`
files that caused those spans to be generated, and the AST paths in the
`FileDescriptorProto` for those `.proto` files. `example.pb.h` explicitly
depends on `example.pb.h.meta` using a pragma and a preprocessor symbol:

[source,c]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Generated by the protocol buffer compiler.  DO NOT EDIT!
// source: kythe/examples/proto/example.proto

...

#ifdef KYTHE_IS_RUNNING
#pragma kythe_metadata "kythe/examples/proto/example.pb.h.meta"
#endif  // KYTHE_IS_RUNNING

...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Kythe $$C++$$ extractor and indexer both understand what to do with this
pragma (and both define `KYTHE_IS_RUNNING`). The extractor will add the `.meta`
file to the `kzip` it produces; the indexer will load the `.meta` file,
translate it from `protoc` annotations to generic Kythe metadata, and use it
to append `generates` edges for `defines/binding` edges emitted from
`example.pb.h`.

[kythe,dot,"first indexing pipeline",0]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
digraph G {
size="7,7!";
usersrc [label="proto_user.cc", shape=note];
ccextractor [label="C++ extractor", shape=rectangle];
kzip [label="proto_user.kzip", shape=note];
protosrc [label=".proto", shape=note];
frontend [label="protoc", shape=rectangle];
descriptor [label="descriptor", shape=note];
descriptorfile [label="FileDescriptorSet", shape=note];
indexer [label="Kythe proto_indexer", shape=rectangle];
ccindexer [label="Kythe C++ indexer", shape=rectangle];
backend [label="C++ language backend", shape=rectangle];
ccsrc [label=".pb.h", shape=note];
ccmeta [label=".pb.h.meta", shape=note, color=blue];
entries [label="Kythe entries", shape=note];
protosrc -> frontend;
frontend -> descriptor;
frontend -> descriptorfile;
protosrc -> indexer;
descriptorfile -> indexer;
descriptor -> backend;
backend -> ccsrc;
backend -> ccmeta [color=blue];
ccsrc -> ccmeta [color=blue];
indexer -> entries;
usersrc -> ccsrc;
usersrc -> ccextractor;
ccsrc -> ccextractor;
ccmeta -> ccextractor [color=blue];
ccextractor -> kzip;
kzip -> ccindexer;
ccindexer -> entries;
}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now we can write verifier assertions that show we have established a link
between the proto source and use sites of its generated code:

[source,c]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#include "kythe/examples/proto/example.pb.h"

//- @Foo ref CxxFooDecl
//- MessageFoo? generates CxxFooDecl
//- vname(_, "kythe", "", "kythe/examples/proto/example.proto", "protobuf")
//-     defines/binding MessageFoo
void UseProto(kythe::examples::proto::example::Foo* foo) {
}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

.Output
----
MessageFoo: EVar(... = App(vname,
    (4.0, kythe, "", kythe/examples/proto/example.proto, protobuf)))
----

Of course, Kythe clients need to understand that *generates* edges should be
followed. Solving this problem is out of this document's scope.

==== Providing annotations for other languages

To generate metadata for a different language backend, you must determine or
implement the following:

* The `protoc` backend for the language must be able to produce
  `proto2.GeneratedCodeInfo` buffers.
* There must be some way to signal to your indexer and extractor that a
  `.meta` file is associated with a different source file.
* That `.meta` file must be made available to the extractor during extraction.
  For hermetic build systems, this means that the target driving `protoc` must
  list the `.meta` file as an output. Any target that uses that `protoc`
  target must require the `.meta` file as an input.
* The indexer must read the `.meta` file and use it to emit `generates`
  edges that connect up to the nodes produced by the Kythe proto_indexer.

The method for annotating source code is designed such that it can
be implemented purely at the output stage; for example, if you have an
abstraction for emitting *defines/binding* edges from anchors, you can
check at every edge (starting from a file with loaded metadata) whether you
should emit an additional `generates` edge.