Semaphore-based management of user-space markers

A system comprising:

• a persistent storage unit to store an introspection user script, wherein the introspection user script defines execution of an application at one or more of a plurality of probe points in the application;
• and
• a processing device coupled to the persistent storage unit to
• identify a probe module for the application, the probe module comprising a semaphore table comprising a plurality of entries for the plurality of probe points in the application, the plurality of entries comprising a plurality of semaphore variable values for the plurality of probe points,
• identify, from the introspection user script, one of the plurality of probe points that is to be activated;
• adjust one of the plurality of semaphore variable values that corresponds to the one of the plurality of probe points in the semaphore table in the probe module to represent to the application that the one of the plurality of probe points is to be activated, and
• cause the application to activate the one of the plurality of probe points based on the adjusted semaphore variable value in the semaphore table.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

• identifying a probe module for an application, the probe module comprising a semaphore table comprising a plurality of entries for a plurality of probe points in the application, the plurality of entries comprising a plurality of semaphore variable values for the plurality of probe points;
• identifying, by the processing device, from an introspection user script, one of the plurality of probe points that is to be activated, the introspection user script defines execution of the application at the one of the plurality of probe points in the application;
• adjusting one of the plurality of semaphore variable values that corresponds to the one of the plurality of probe points in the semaphore table in the probe module to represent to the application that the one of the plurality of probe points is to be activated;
• and
• causing the application to activate the one of the plurality of probe points based on the adjusted semaphore variable value in the semaphore table.