PgSQL事务隔离等级

PostgreSQL实际上只有两种事务隔离等级:读已提交(Read Commited)可序列化(Serializable)

PostgreSQL 事务隔离等级

基础

SQL标准定义了四种隔离级别,但PostgreSQL实际上只有两种事务隔离等级:读已提交(Read Commited)可序列化(Serializable)

SQL标准定义了四种隔离级别,但实际上这也是很粗鄙的一种划分。详情请参考并发异常那些事

查看/设置事务隔离等级

通过执行:SELECT current_setting('transaction_isolation'); 可以查看当前事务隔离等级。

通过在事务块顶部执行 SET TRANSACTION ISOLATION LEVEL { SERIALIZABLE | REPEATABLE READ | READ COMMITTED | READ UNCOMMITTED } 来设定事务的隔离等级。

或者为当前会话生命周期设置事务隔离等级:

SET SESSION CHARACTERISTICS AS TRANSACTION transaction_mode

Actual isolation level P4 G-single G2-item G2
RC(monotonic atomic views) - - - -
RR(snapshot isolation) - -
Serializable

隔离等级与并发问题

创建测试表 t ,并插入两行测试数据。

CREATE TABLE t (k INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, v int);
TRUNCATE t; INSERT INTO t VALUES (1,10), (2,20);

更新丢失(P4)

PostgreSQL的 读已提交RC 隔离等级无法阻止丢失更新的问题,但可重复读隔离等级则可以。

丢失更新,顾名思义,就是一个事务的写入覆盖了另一个事务的写入结果。

在读已提交隔离等级下,无法阻止丢失更新的问题,考虑一个计数器并发更新的例子,两个事务同时从计数器中读取出值,加1后写回原表。

T1 T2 Comment
begin;
begin;
SELECT v FROM t WHERE k = 1 T1读
SELECT v FROM t WHERE k = 1 T2读
update t set v = 11 where k = 1; T1写
update t set v = 11 where k = 1; T2因T1阻塞
COMMIT T2恢复,写入
COMMIT T2写入覆盖T1

解决这个问题有两种方式,使用原子操作,或者在可重复读的隔离等级执行事务。

使用原子操作的方式为:

T1 T2 Comment
begin;
begin;
update t set v = v+1 where k = 1; T1写
update t set v = v + 1 where k = 1; T2因T1阻塞
COMMIT T2恢复,写入
COMMIT T2写入覆盖T1

解决这个问题有两种方式,使用原子操作,或者在可重复读的隔离等级执行事务。

在可重复读的隔离等级

读已提交(RC)

begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T2

update t set v = 11 where k = 1; -- T1
update t set v = 12 where k = 1; -- T2, BLOCKS
update t set v = 21 where k = 2; -- T1

commit; -- T1. This unblocks T2
select * from t; -- T1. Shows 1 => 11, 2 => 21
update t set v = 22 where k = 2; -- T2


commit; -- T2
select * from test; -- either. Shows 1 => 12, 2 => 22
T1 T2 Comment
begin; set transaction isolation level read committed;
begin; set transaction isolation level read committed;
update t set v = 11 where k = 1;
update t set v = 12 where k = 1; T2会等待T1持有的锁
SELECT * FROM t 2:20, 1:11
update pair set v = 21 where k = 2;
commit; T2解锁
select * from pair; T2看见T1的结果和自己的修改
update t set v = 22 where k = 2
commit

提交后的结果

1

 relname | locktype | virtualtransaction |  pid  |       mode       | granted | fastpath
---------+----------+--------------------+-------+------------------+---------+----------
 t_pkey  | relation | 4/578              | 37670 | RowExclusiveLock | t       | t
 t       | relation | 4/578              | 37670 | RowExclusiveLock | t       | t
 relname | locktype | virtualtransaction |  pid  |       mode       | granted | fastpath
---------+----------+--------------------+-------+------------------+---------+----------
 t_pkey  | relation | 4/578              | 37670 | RowExclusiveLock | t       | t
 t       | relation | 4/578              | 37670 | RowExclusiveLock | t       | t
 t_pkey  | relation | 6/494              | 37672 | RowExclusiveLock | t       | t
 t       | relation | 6/494              | 37672 | RowExclusiveLock | t       | t
 t       | tuple    | 6/494              | 37672 | ExclusiveLock    | t       | f
 relname | locktype | virtualtransaction |  pid  |       mode       | granted | fastpath
---------+----------+--------------------+-------+------------------+---------+----------
 t_pkey  | relation | 4/578              | 37670 | RowExclusiveLock | t       | t
 t       | relation | 4/578              | 37670 | RowExclusiveLock | t       | t
 t_pkey  | relation | 6/494              | 37672 | RowExclusiveLock | t       | t
 t       | relation | 6/494              | 37672 | RowExclusiveLock | t       | t
 t       | tuple    | 6/494              | 37672 | ExclusiveLock    | t       | f

Testing PostgreSQL transaction isolation levels

These tests were run with Postgres 9.3.5.

Setup (before every test case):

create table test (id int primary key, value int);
insert into test (id, value) values (1, 10), (2, 20);

To see the current isolation level:

select current_setting('transaction_isolation');

Read Committed basic requirements (G0, G1a, G1b, G1c)

Postgres “read committed” prevents Write Cycles (G0) by locking updated rows:

begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T2
update test set value = 11 where id = 1; -- T1
update test set value = 12 where id = 1; -- T2, BLOCKS
update test set value = 21 where id = 2; -- T1
commit; -- T1. This unblocks T2
select * from test; -- T1. Shows 1 => 11, 2 => 21
update test set value = 22 where id = 2; -- T2
commit; -- T2
select * from test; -- either. Shows 1 => 12, 2 => 22

Postgres “read committed” prevents Aborted Reads (G1a):

begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T2
update test set value = 101 where id = 1; -- T1
select * from test; -- T2. Still shows 1 => 10
abort;  -- T1
select * from test; -- T2. Still shows 1 => 10
commit; -- T2

Postgres “read committed” prevents Intermediate Reads (G1b):

begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T2
update test set value = 101 where id = 1; -- T1
select * from test; -- T2. Still shows 1 => 10
update test set value = 11 where id = 1; -- T1
commit; -- T1
select * from test; -- T2. Now shows 1 => 11
commit; -- T2

Postgres “read committed” prevents Circular Information Flow (G1c):

begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T2
update test set value = 11 where id = 1; -- T1
update test set value = 22 where id = 2; -- T2
select * from test where id = 2; -- T1. Still shows 2 => 20
select * from test where id = 1; -- T2. Still shows 1 => 10
commit; -- T1
commit; -- T2

Observed Transaction Vanishes (OTV)

Postgres “read committed” prevents Observed Transaction Vanishes (OTV):

begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T2
begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T3
update test set value = 11 where id = 1; -- T1
update test set value = 19 where id = 2; -- T1
update test set value = 12 where id = 1; -- T2. BLOCKS
commit; -- T1. This unblocks T2
select * from test where id = 1; -- T3. Shows 1 => 11
update test set value = 18 where id = 2; -- T2
select * from test where id = 2; -- T3. Shows 2 => 19
commit; -- T2
select * from test where id = 2; -- T3. Shows 2 => 18
select * from test where id = 1; -- T3. Shows 1 => 12
commit; -- T3

Predicate-Many-Preceders (PMP)

Postgres “read committed” does not prevent Predicate-Many-Preceders (PMP):

begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T2
select * from test where value = 30; -- T1. Returns nothing
insert into test (id, value) values(3, 30); -- T2
commit; -- T2
select * from test where value % 3 = 0; -- T1. Returns the newly inserted row
commit; -- T1

Postgres “repeatable read” prevents Predicate-Many-Preceders (PMP):

begin; set transaction isolation level repeatable read; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level repeatable read; -- T2
select * from test where value = 30; -- T1. Returns nothing
insert into test (id, value) values(3, 30); -- T2
commit; -- T2
select * from test where value % 3 = 0; -- T1. Still returns nothing
commit; -- T1

Postgres “read committed” does not prevent Predicate-Many-Preceders (PMP) for write predicates – example from Postgres documentation:

begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T2
update test set value = value + 10; -- T1
delete from test where value = 20;  -- T2, BLOCKS
commit; -- T1. This unblocks T2
select * from test where value = 20; -- T2, returns 1 => 20 (despite ostensibly having been deleted)
commit; -- T2

Postgres “repeatable read” prevents Predicate-Many-Preceders (PMP) for write predicates – example from Postgres documentation:

begin; set transaction isolation level repeatable read; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level repeatable read; -- T2
update test set value = value + 10; -- T1
delete from test where value = 20;  -- T2, BLOCKS
commit; -- T1. T2 now prints out "ERROR: could not serialize access due to concurrent update"
abort;  -- T2. There's nothing else we can do, this transaction has failed

Lost Update (P4)

Postgres “read committed” does not prevent Lost Update (P4):

begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T2
select * from test where id = 1; -- T1
select * from test where id = 1; -- T2
update test set value = 11 where id = 1; -- T1
update test set value = 11 where id = 1; -- T2, BLOCKS
commit; -- T1. This unblocks T2, so T1's update is overwritten
commit; -- T2

Postgres “repeatable read” prevents Lost Update (P4):

begin; set transaction isolation level repeatable read; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level repeatable read; -- T2
select * from test where id = 1; -- T1
select * from test where id = 1; -- T2
update test set value = 11 where id = 1; -- T1
update test set value = 11 where id = 1; -- T2, BLOCKS
commit; -- T1. T2 now prints out "ERROR: could not serialize access due to concurrent update"
abort;  -- T2. There's nothing else we can do, this transaction has failed

Read Skew (G-single)

Postgres “read committed” does not prevent Read Skew (G-single):

begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level read committed; -- T2
select * from test where id = 1; -- T1. Shows 1 => 10
select * from test where id = 1; -- T2
select * from test where id = 2; -- T2
update test set value = 12 where id = 1; -- T2
update test set value = 18 where id = 2; -- T2
commit; -- T2
select * from test where id = 2; -- T1. Shows 2 => 18
commit; -- T1

Postgres “repeatable read” prevents Read Skew (G-single):

begin; set transaction isolation level repeatable read; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level repeatable read; -- T2
select * from test where id = 1; -- T1. Shows 1 => 10
select * from test where id = 1; -- T2
select * from test where id = 2; -- T2
update test set value = 12 where id = 1; -- T2
update test set value = 18 where id = 2; -- T2
commit; -- T2
select * from test where id = 2; -- T1. Shows 2 => 20
commit; -- T1

Postgres “repeatable read” prevents Read Skew (G-single) – test using predicate dependencies:

begin; set transaction isolation level repeatable read; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level repeatable read; -- T2
select * from test where value % 5 = 0; -- T1
update test set value = 12 where value = 10; -- T2
commit; -- T2
select * from test where value % 3 = 0; -- T1. Returns nothing
commit; -- T1

Postgres “repeatable read” prevents Read Skew (G-single) – test using write predicate:

begin; set transaction isolation level repeatable read; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level repeatable read; -- T2
select * from test where id = 1; -- T1. Shows 1 => 10
select * from test; -- T2
update test set value = 12 where id = 1; -- T2
update test set value = 18 where id = 2; -- T2
commit; -- T2
delete from test where value = 20; -- T1. Prints "ERROR: could not serialize access due to concurrent update"
abort; -- T1. There's nothing else we can do, this transaction has failed

Write Skew (G2-item)

Postgres “repeatable read” does not prevent Write Skew (G2-item):

begin; set transaction isolation level repeatable read; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level repeatable read; -- T2
select * from test where id in (1,2); -- T1
select * from test where id in (1,2); -- T2
update test set value = 11 where id = 1; -- T1
update test set value = 21 where id = 2; -- T2
commit; -- T1
commit; -- T2

Postgres “serializable” prevents Write Skew (G2-item):

begin; set transaction isolation level serializable; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level serializable; -- T2
select * from test where id in (1,2); -- T1
select * from test where id in (1,2); -- T2
update test set value = 11 where id = 1; -- T1
update test set value = 21 where id = 2; -- T2
commit; -- T1
commit; -- T2. Prints out "ERROR: could not serialize access due to read/write dependencies among transactions"

Anti-Dependency Cycles (G2)

Postgres “repeatable read” does not prevent Anti-Dependency Cycles (G2):

begin; set transaction isolation level repeatable read; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level repeatable read; -- T2
select * from test where value % 3 = 0; -- T1
select * from test where value % 3 = 0; -- T2
insert into test (id, value) values(3, 30); -- T1
insert into test (id, value) values(4, 42); -- T2
commit; -- T1
commit; -- T2
select * from test where value % 3 = 0; -- Either. Returns 3 => 30, 4 => 42

Postgres “serializable” prevents Anti-Dependency Cycles (G2):

begin; set transaction isolation level serializable; -- T1
begin; set transaction isolation level serializable; -- T2
select * from test where value % 3 = 0; -- T1
select * from test where value % 3 = 0; -- T2
insert into test (id, value) values(3, 30); -- T1
insert into test (id, value) values(4, 42); -- T2
commit; -- T1
commit; -- T2. Prints out "ERROR: could not serialize access due to read/write dependencies among transactions"

Postgres “serializable” prevents Anti-Dependency Cycles (G2) – Fekete et al’s example with two anti-dependency edges:

begin; set transaction isolation level serializable; -- T1
select * from test; -- T1. Shows 1 => 10, 2 => 20
begin; set transaction isolation level serializable; -- T2
update test set value = value + 5 where id = 2; -- T2
commit; -- T2
begin; set transaction isolation level serializable; -- T3
select * from test; -- T3. Shows 1 => 10, 2 => 25
commit; -- T3
update test set value = 0 where id = 1; -- T1. Prints out "ERROR: could not serialize access due to read/write dependencies among transactions"
abort; -- T1. There's nothing else we can do, this transaction has failed