[fix][broker] Fix non-batched null-value messages not removed during topic compaction#25817
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…topic compaction When a non-Java producer (C++, Python, Go) sends a null-value message (tombstone) on a compacted topic, the key is not removed during topic compaction. The tombstone is retained in the compacted view instead of being deleted. Root cause: `AbstractTwoPhaseCompactor.extractKeyAndSize()` computes payload size using `headersAndPayload.readableBytes()`, which returns the combined size of the serialized MessageMetadata + payload. For null-value messages the payload is empty, but the metadata is always present, so readableBytes() is always > 0 (e.g. 32 bytes of metadata). This prevents the tombstone path (`size <= 0 -> latestForKey.remove(key)`) from being reached in phase one of compaction. The batch code path is not affected because it extracts per-message payload sizes from `SingleMessageMetadata.payloadSize`, which correctly returns 0 for null-value messages. The Java client always sets `numMessagesInBatch` in the metadata (even with `enableBatching(false)`), so all Java-produced messages go through the batch path -- which is why this bug was never caught by existing tests. Fix: Check `msgMetadata.hasNullValue() && msgMetadata.isNullValue()` in `extractKeyAndSize()` and return size 0, so the compaction phase one correctly removes the key from `latestForKey`. Also refactored `EventTimeOrderCompactor.extractMessageCompactionData()` to reuse `extractKeyAndSize()` instead of duplicating the size logic. Verification (testNonBatchedMessageWithNullValue): Writes raw non-batch entries (no numMessagesInBatch) to the managed ledger, triggers compaction, and reads the compacted view. | Test | Without fix | With fix | |-------------------------------------|------------------------------------|----------| | testNonBatchedMessageWithNullValue | FAILED: expected [2] but found [4] | PASSED | Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
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PR failed on a known flaky test |
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/pulsarbot rerun |
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@grishaf Please avoid force pushes to a PR where the review has already started since it makes it harder to track changes after the previous review. Instead, merge the latest |
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I had to trigger a full rebuild since "Pulsar CI" currently caches build artifacts for 3 days and if the artifacts expire, there's a need to trigger a full rebuild. Merging origin/master to the PR branch is a recommended approach. Another way to trigger is to push a commit or close and re-open the PR (however that's not a recommended approach for retrying after flaky tests, |
Denovo1998
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May 26, 2026
Honor MessageMetadata.nullValue before payload-byte sizing so encrypted tombstones are removed during compaction. Clarify test comment per review. Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
Denovo1998
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May 29, 2026
BewareMyPower
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May 29, 2026
priyanshu-ctds
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Jun 9, 2026
…topic compaction (apache#25817) (cherry picked from commit 1fa9e35) (cherry picked from commit b34fff7)
grishaf
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4.2.2 is the latest 4.x release and includes the null-value compaction fix (apache/pulsar#25817, shipped in release/4.2.2). This lets test_null_value_compaction pass; 4.0.0 predated the fix. Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
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Motivation
When a non-Java producer (C++, Python, Go) sends a null-value message (tombstone) on a compacted topic, the key is not removed during topic compaction. The tombstone is retained in the compacted view instead of being deleted.
Root cause:
AbstractTwoPhaseCompactor.extractKeyAndSize()computed payload size usingheadersAndPayload.readableBytes(), which returns the combined size of the serialized MessageMetadata + payload. For null-value messages the payload is empty, but the metadata is always present, soreadableBytes()is always > 0 (e.g. 32 bytes of metadata). This prevents the tombstone path (size <= 0 → latestForKey.remove(key)) from being reached in phase one of compaction.The batch code path is not affected because it extracts per-message payload sizes from
SingleMessageMetadata.payloadSize, which correctly returns 0 for null-value messages. The Java client always setsnumMessagesInBatchin the metadata (even withenableBatching(false)), so all Java-produced messages go through the batch path — which is why this bug was never caught by existing tests.Modifications
AbstractTwoPhaseCompactor.extractKeyAndSize(): Fixed to compute the correct payload-only size by usingCommands.skipMessageMetadata()to skip past the metadata before readingreadableBytes(). For compressed messages,getUncompressedSize()was already correct.EventTimeOrderCompactor.extractMessageCompactionData(): Refactored to reuseextractKeyAndSize()instead of duplicating the (buggy) size calculation.Verifying this change
This change added tests and can be verified as follows:
CompactionTest.testNonBatchedMessageWithNullValue— writes raw non-batch entries (nonumMessagesInBatchin metadata, simulating C++/Python producers) directly to the managed ledger, triggers compaction, and verifies tombstoned keys are removed from the compacted view.| Test | Without fix | With fix |
|-------------------------------------|------------------------------------|----------|
| testNonBatchedMessageWithNullValue | FAILED: expected [2] but found [4] | PASSED |
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