Reduce label memory (#15255)

34 files changed, 588 insertions, 392 deletions

diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 38cca3c318..6029ea3080 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -741,6 +741,7 @@ set(RRD_PLUGIN_FILES
         database/rrdfunctions.h
         database/rrdhost.c
         database/rrdlabels.c
+        database/rrdlabels.h
         database/rrd.c
         database/rrd.h
         database/rrdset.c
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index d0840d0314..e10ce0e8ae 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -473,6 +473,7 @@ RRD_PLUGIN_FILES = \
     database/rrdfamily.c \
     database/rrdhost.c \
     database/rrdlabels.c \
+    database/rrdlabels.h \
     database/rrd.c \
     database/rrd.h \
     database/rrdset.c \
diff --git a/aclk/aclk.c b/aclk/aclk.c
index 312db076ff..854408ce6e 100644
--- a/aclk/aclk.c
+++ b/aclk/aclk.c
@@ -1292,7 +1292,7 @@ char *aclk_state_json(void)
 }
 
 void add_aclk_host_labels(void) {
-    DICTIONARY *labels = localhost->rrdlabels;
+    RRDLABELS *labels = localhost->rrdlabels;
 
 #ifdef ENABLE_ACLK
     rrdlabels_add(labels, "_aclk_available", "true", RRDLABEL_SRC_AUTO|RRDLABEL_SRC_ACLK);
diff --git a/aclk/schema-wrappers/node_info.h b/aclk/schema-wrappers/node_info.h
index de4ade78aa..4f57601dff 100644
--- a/aclk/schema-wrappers/node_info.h
+++ b/aclk/schema-wrappers/node_info.h
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ struct aclk_node_info {
     const char *custom_info;
     const char *machine_guid;
 
-    DICTIONARY *host_labels_ptr;
+    RRDLABELS *host_labels_ptr;
     struct machine_learning_info ml_info;
 };
 
diff --git a/aclk/schema-wrappers/schema_wrapper_utils.cc b/aclk/schema-wrappers/schema_wrapper_utils.cc
index 6573e62997..96a4b9bf13 100644
--- a/aclk/schema-wrappers/schema_wrapper_utils.cc
+++ b/aclk/schema-wrappers/schema_wrapper_utils.cc
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ void set_timeval_from_google_timestamp(const google::protobuf::Timestamp &ts, st
     tv->tv_usec = ts.nanos()/1000;
 }
 
-int label_add_to_map_callback(const char *name, const char *value, RRDLABEL_SRC ls, void *data) {
-    (void)ls;
+int label_add_to_map_callback(const char *name, const char *value, RRDLABEL_SRC ls __maybe_unused, void *data)
+{
     auto map = (google::protobuf::Map<std::string, std::string> *)data;
     map->insert({name, value});
     return 1;
diff --git a/collectors/cgroups.plugin/sys_fs_cgroup.c b/collectors/cgroups.plugin/sys_fs_cgroup.c
index 9c7488c827..893a9445d9 100644
--- a/collectors/cgroups.plugin/sys_fs_cgroup.c
+++ b/collectors/cgroups.plugin/sys_fs_cgroup.c
@@ -806,7 +806,7 @@ struct cgroup {
 
     char *chart_title;
 
-    DICTIONARY *chart_labels;
+    RRDLABELS *chart_labels;
 
     int container_orchestrator;
 
@@ -1781,14 +1781,14 @@ static inline void substitute_dots_in_id(char *s) {
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // parse k8s labels
 
-char *cgroup_parse_resolved_name_and_labels(DICTIONARY *labels, char *data) {
+char *cgroup_parse_resolved_name_and_labels(RRDLABELS *labels, char *data) {
     // the first word, up to the first space is the name
     char *name = strsep_skip_consecutive_separators(&data, " ");
 
     // the rest are key=value pairs separated by comma
     while(data) {
         char *pair = strsep_skip_consecutive_separators(&data, ",");
-        rrdlabels_add_pair(labels, pair, RRDLABEL_SRC_AUTO| RRDLABEL_SRC_K8S);
+        rrdlabels_add_pair(labels, pair, RRDLABEL_SRC_AUTO | RRDLABEL_SRC_K8S);
     }
 
     return name;
@@ -2745,9 +2745,8 @@ static inline void discovery_process_cgroup(struct cgroup *cg) {
 
     if (!k8s_is_kubepod(cg)) {
         rrdlabels_add(cg->chart_labels, "cgroup_name", cg->chart_id, RRDLABEL_SRC_AUTO);
-        if (!dictionary_get(cg->chart_labels, "image")) {
+        if (!rrdlabels_exist(cg->chart_labels, "image"))
             rrdlabels_add(cg->chart_labels, "image", "", RRDLABEL_SRC_AUTO);
-        }
     }
 
     worker_is_busy(WORKER_DISCOVERY_PROCESS_NETWORK);
diff --git a/collectors/cgroups.plugin/sys_fs_cgroup.h b/collectors/cgroups.plugin/sys_fs_cgroup.h
index dc800ba912..625be755da 100644
--- a/collectors/cgroups.plugin/sys_fs_cgroup.h
+++ b/collectors/cgroups.plugin/sys_fs_cgroup.h
@@ -39,6 +39,6 @@ typedef struct netdata_ebpf_cgroup_shm {
 
 #include "../proc.plugin/plugin_proc.h"
 
-char *cgroup_parse_resolved_name_and_labels(DICTIONARY *labels, char *data);
+char *cgroup_parse_resolved_name_and_labels(RRDLABELS *labels, char *data);
 
 #endif //NETDATA_SYS_FS_CGROUP_H
diff --git a/collectors/cgroups.plugin/tests/test_cgroups_plugin.c b/collectors/cgroups.plugin/tests/test_cgroups_plugin.c
index a0f9153090..bb1fb39885 100644
--- a/collectors/cgroups.plugin/tests/test_cgroups_plugin.c
+++ b/collectors/cgroups.plugin/tests/test_cgroups_plugin.c
@@ -20,13 +20,12 @@ struct k8s_test_data {
     int i;
 };
 
-static int read_label_callback(const char *name, const char *value, RRDLABEL_SRC ls, void *data)
+static int read_label_callback(const char *name, const char *value, void *data)
 {
   struct k8s_test_data *test_data = (struct k8s_test_data *)data;
 
   test_data->result_key[test_data->i] = name;
   test_data->result_value[test_data->i] = value;
-  test_data->result_ls[test_data->i] = ls;
 
   test_data->i++;
 
@@ -37,7 +36,7 @@ static void test_cgroup_parse_resolved_name(void **state)
 {
     UNUSED(state);
 
-    DICTIONARY *labels = rrdlabels_create();
+    RRDLABELS *labels = rrdlabels_create();
 
     struct k8s_test_data test_data[] = {
         // One label
diff --git a/collectors/diskspace.plugin/plugin_diskspace.c b/collectors/diskspace.plugin/plugin_diskspace.c
index 2153494d9a..43c9105dc7 100644
--- a/collectors/diskspace.plugin/plugin_diskspace.c
+++ b/collectors/diskspace.plugin/plugin_diskspace.c
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ struct mount_point_metadata {
     int updated;
     int slow;
 
-    DICTIONARY *chart_labels;
+    RRDLABELS *chart_labels;
 
     size_t collected; // the number of times this has been collected
 
diff --git a/collectors/plugins.d/pluginsd_parser.c b/collectors/plugins.d/pluginsd_parser.c
index f8750694b3..9e702bc221 100644
--- a/collectors/plugins.d/pluginsd_parser.c
+++ b/collectors/plugins.d/pluginsd_parser.c
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ static inline PARSER_RC pluginsd_end(char **words, size_t num_words, PARSER *par
 
 static void pluginsd_host_define_cleanup(PARSER *parser) {
     string_freez(parser->user.host_define.hostname);
-    dictionary_destroy(parser->user.host_define.rrdlabels);
+    rrdlabels_destroy(parser->user.host_define.rrdlabels);
 
     parser->user.host_define.hostname = NULL;
     parser->user.host_define.rrdlabels = NULL;
@@ -390,17 +390,17 @@ static inline PARSER_RC pluginsd_host_define(char **words, size_t num_words, PAR
     return PARSER_RC_OK;
 }
 
-static inline PARSER_RC pluginsd_host_dictionary(char **words, size_t num_words, PARSER *parser, DICTIONARY *dict, const char *keyword) {
+static inline PARSER_RC pluginsd_host_dictionary(char **words, size_t num_words, PARSER *parser, RRDLABELS *labels, const char *keyword) {
     char *name = get_word(words, num_words, 1);
     char *value = get_word(words, num_words, 2);
 
     if(!name || !*name || !value)
         return PLUGINSD_DISABLE_PLUGIN(parser, keyword, "missing parameters");
 
-    if(!parser->user.host_define.parsing_host || !dict)
+    if(!parser->user.host_define.parsing_host || !labels)
         return PLUGINSD_DISABLE_PLUGIN(parser, keyword, "host is not defined, send " PLUGINSD_KEYWORD_HOST_DEFINE " before this");
 
-    rrdlabels_add(dict, name, value, RRDLABEL_SRC_CONFIG);
+    rrdlabels_add(labels, name, value, RRDLABEL_SRC_CONFIG);
 
     return PARSER_RC_OK;
 }
@@ -776,7 +776,7 @@ static void inflight_functions_insert_callback(const DICTIONARY_ITEM *item, void
 
     if (!pf->payload)
         return;
-    
+
     // send the payload to the plugin
     ret = send_to_plugin(pf->payload, parser);
 
@@ -2097,7 +2097,7 @@ static inline PARSER_RC pluginsd_register_module(char **words __maybe_unused, si
     struct configurable_plugin *plug_cfg = parser->user.cd->configuration;
     if (unlikely(plug_cfg == NULL))
         return PLUGINSD_DISABLE_PLUGIN(parser, PLUGINSD_KEYWORD_DYNCFG_REGISTER_MODULE, "you have to enable dynamic configuration first using " PLUGINSD_KEYWORD_DYNCFG_ENABLE);
-    
+
     if (unlikely(num_words != 3))
         return PLUGINSD_DISABLE_PLUGIN(parser, PLUGINSD_KEYWORD_DYNCFG_REGISTER_MODULE, "expected 2 parameters module_name followed by module_type");
 
@@ -2452,7 +2452,7 @@ PARSER_RC parser_execute(PARSER *parser, PARSER_KEYWORD *keyword, char **words,
 
         case 101:
             return pluginsd_register_plugin(words, num_words, parser);
-        
+
         case 102:
             return pluginsd_register_module(words, num_words, parser);
 
diff --git a/collectors/plugins.d/pluginsd_parser.h b/collectors/plugins.d/pluginsd_parser.h
index 5e1ea12424..8635059d92 100644
--- a/collectors/plugins.d/pluginsd_parser.h
+++ b/collectors/plugins.d/pluginsd_parser.h
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ typedef struct parser_user_object {
     void    *opaque;
     struct plugind *cd;
     int trust_durations;
-    DICTIONARY *new_host_labels;
-    DICTIONARY *chart_rrdlabels_linked_temporarily;
+    RRDLABELS *new_host_labels;
+    RRDLABELS *chart_rrdlabels_linked_temporarily;
     size_t data_collections_count;
     int enabled;
 
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ typedef struct parser_user_object {
         uuid_t machine_guid;
         char machine_guid_str[UUID_STR_LEN];
         STRING *hostname;
-        DICTIONARY *rrdlabels;
+        RRDLABELS *rrdlabels;
     } host_define;
 
     struct parser_user_object_replay {
diff --git a/collectors/proc.plugin/plugin_proc.h b/collectors/proc.plugin/plugin_proc.h
index a90f4838e9..a0ddd76c48 100644
--- a/collectors/proc.plugin/plugin_proc.h
+++ b/collectors/proc.plugin/plugin_proc.h
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ void netdev_rename_device_add(
     const char *host_device,
     const char *container_device,
     const char *container_name,
-    DICTIONARY *labels,
+    RRDLABELS *labels,
     const char *ctx_prefix);
 
 void netdev_rename_device_del(const char *host_device);
diff --git a/collectors/proc.plugin/proc_net_dev.c b/collectors/proc.plugin/proc_net_dev.c
index 16881d1709..eb2d0e0c02 100644
--- a/collectors/proc.plugin/proc_net_dev.c
+++ b/collectors/proc.plugin/proc_net_dev.c
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ static struct netdev {
 
     const char *chart_family;
 
-    DICTIONARY *chart_labels;
+    RRDLABELS *chart_labels;
 
     int flipped;
     unsigned long priority;
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ static struct netdev_rename {
     const char *container_name;
     const char *ctx_prefix;
 
-    DICTIONARY *chart_labels;
+    RRDLABELS *chart_labels;
 
     int processed;
 
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ void netdev_rename_device_add(
     const char *host_device,
     const char *container_device,
     const char *container_name,
-    DICTIONARY *labels,
+    RRDLABELS *labels,
     const char *ctx_prefix)
 {
     netdata_mutex_lock(&netdev_rename_mutex);
diff --git a/collectors/proc.plugin/sys_devices_system_edac_mc.c b/collectors/proc.plugin/sys_devices_system_edac_mc.c
index 0947f61f09..fdaa22cb70 100644
--- a/collectors/proc.plugin/sys_devices_system_edac_mc.c
+++ b/collectors/proc.plugin/sys_devices_system_edac_mc.c
@@ -265,22 +265,22 @@ int do_proc_sys_devices_system_edac_mc(int update_every, usec_t dt __maybe_unuse
 
                 char buffer[1024 + 1];
 
-                if(read_edac_mc_rank_file(m->name, d->name, "dimm_dev_type", buffer, 1024))
+                if (read_edac_mc_rank_file(m->name, d->name, "dimm_dev_type", buffer, 1024))
                     rrdlabels_add(d->st->rrdlabels, "dimm_dev_type", buffer, RRDLABEL_SRC_AUTO);
 
-                if(read_edac_mc_rank_file(m->name, d->name, "dimm_edac_mode", buffer, 1024))
+                if (read_edac_mc_rank_file(m->name, d->name, "dimm_edac_mode", buffer, 1024))
                     rrdlabels_add(d->st->rrdlabels, "dimm_edac_mode", buffer, RRDLABEL_SRC_AUTO);
 
-                if(read_edac_mc_rank_file(m->name, d->name, "dimm_label", buffer, 1024))
+                if (read_edac_mc_rank_file(m->name, d->name, "dimm_label", buffer, 1024))
                     rrdlabels_add(d->st->rrdlabels, "dimm_label", buffer, RRDLABEL_SRC_AUTO);
 
-                if(read_edac_mc_rank_file(m->name, d->name, "dimm_location", buffer, 1024))
+                if (read_edac_mc_rank_file(m->name, d->name, "dimm_location", buffer, 1024))
                     rrdlabels_add(d->st->rrdlabels, "dimm_location", buffer, RRDLABEL_SRC_AUTO);
 
-                if(read_edac_mc_rank_file(m->name, d->name, "dimm_mem_type", buffer, 1024))
+                if (read_edac_mc_rank_file(m->name, d->name, "dimm_mem_type", buffer, 1024))
                     rrdlabels_add(d->st->rrdlabels, "dimm_mem_type", buffer, RRDLABEL_SRC_AUTO);
 
-                if(read_edac_mc_rank_file(m->name, d->name, "size", buffer, 1024))
+                if (read_edac_mc_rank_file(m->name, d->name, "size", buffer, 1024))
                     rrdlabels_add(d->st->rrdlabels, "size", buffer, RRDLABEL_SRC_AUTO);
 
                 d->ce.rd = rrddim_add(d->st, "correctable", NULL, 1, 1, RRD_ALGORITHM_INCREMENTAL);
diff --git a/database/contexts/api_v1.c b/database/contexts/api_v1.c
index bc7fee496d..d8446d8490 100644
--- a/database/contexts/api_v1.c
+++ b/database/contexts/api_v1.c
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ static inline int rrdinstance_to_json_callback(const DICTIONARY_ITEM *item, void
         buffer_json_array_close(wb);
     }
 
-    if(options & RRDCONTEXT_OPTION_SHOW_LABELS && ri->rrdlabels && dictionary_entries(ri->rrdlabels)) {
+    if(options & RRDCONTEXT_OPTION_SHOW_LABELS && ri->rrdlabels && rrdlabels_entries(ri->rrdlabels)) {
         buffer_json_member_add_object(wb, "labels");
         rrdlabels_to_buffer_json_members(ri->rrdlabels, wb);
         buffer_json_object_close(wb);
diff --git a/database/contexts/api_v2.c b/database/contexts/api_v2.c
index ae03228cbd..ff977f7384 100644
--- a/database/contexts/api_v2.c
+++ b/database/contexts/api_v2.c
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ static FTS_MATCH rrdcontext_to_json_v2_full_text_search(struct rrdcontext_to_jso
         dfe_done(rm);
 
         size_t label_searches = 0;
-        if(unlikely(ri->rrdlabels && dictionary_entries(ri->rrdlabels) &&
+        if(unlikely(ri->rrdlabels && rrdlabels_entries(ri->rrdlabels) &&
                     rrdlabels_match_simple_pattern_parsed(ri->rrdlabels, q, ':', &label_searches))) {
             ctl->q.fts.searches += label_searches;
             ctl->q.fts.char_searches += label_searches;
diff --git a/database/contexts/instance.c b/database/contexts/instance.c
index 7e572fb80a..0c1dbf4c49 100644
--- a/database/contexts/instance.c
+++ b/database/contexts/instance.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ inline STRING *rrdinstance_acquired_units_dup(RRDINSTANCE_ACQUIRED *ria) {
     return string_dup(ri->units);
 }
 
-inline DICTIONARY *rrdinstance_acquired_labels(RRDINSTANCE_ACQUIRED *ria) {
+inline RRDLABELS *rrdinstance_acquired_labels(RRDINSTANCE_ACQUIRED *ria) {
     RRDINSTANCE *ri = rrdinstance_acquired_value(ria);
     return ri->rrdlabels;
 }
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ inline time_t rrdinstance_acquired_update_every(RRDINSTANCE_ACQUIRED *ria) {
 static void rrdinstance_free(RRDINSTANCE *ri) {
 
     if(rrd_flag_check(ri, RRD_FLAG_OWN_LABELS))
-        dictionary_destroy(ri->rrdlabels);
+        rrdlabels_destroy(ri->rrdlabels);
 
     rrdmetrics_destroy_from_rrdinstance(ri);
     string_freez(ri->id);
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ static bool rrdinstance_conflict_callback(const DICTIONARY_ITEM *item __maybe_un
         ri->rrdset = ri_new->rrdset;
 
         if(ri->rrdset && rrd_flag_check(ri, RRD_FLAG_OWN_LABELS)) {
-            DICTIONARY *old = ri->rrdlabels;
+            RRDLABELS *old = ri->rrdlabels;
             ri->rrdlabels = ri->rrdset->rrdlabels;
             rrd_flag_clear(ri, RRD_FLAG_OWN_LABELS);
             rrdlabels_destroy(old);
diff --git a/database/contexts/internal.h b/database/contexts/internal.h
index 04ad0883a3..293659fdd0 100644
--- a/database/contexts/internal.h
+++ b/database/contexts/internal.h
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ typedef struct rrdinstance {
     time_t update_every_s;              // data collection frequency
     RRDSET *rrdset;                     // pointer to RRDSET when collected, or NULL
 
-    DICTIONARY *rrdlabels;              // linked to RRDSET->chart_labels or own version
+    RRDLABELS *rrdlabels;              // linked to RRDSET->chart_labels or own version
 
     struct rrdcontext *rc;
     DICTIONARY *rrdmetrics;
diff --git a/database/contexts/rrdcontext.h b/database/contexts/rrdcontext.h
index 0bcdb68ded..ffc42e79a2 100644
--- a/database/contexts/rrdcontext.h
+++ b/database/contexts/rrdcontext.h
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ const char *rrdinstance_acquired_name(RRDINSTANCE_ACQUIRED *ria);
 bool rrdinstance_acquired_has_name(RRDINSTANCE_ACQUIRED *ria);
 const char *rrdinstance_acquired_units(RRDINSTANCE_ACQUIRED *ria);
 STRING *rrdinstance_acquired_units_dup(RRDINSTANCE_ACQUIRED *ria);
-DICTIONARY *rrdinstance_acquired_labels(RRDINSTANCE_ACQUIRED *ria);
+RRDLABELS *rrdinstance_acquired_labels(RRDINSTANCE_ACQUIRED *ria);
 DICTIONARY *rrdinstance_acquired_functions(RRDINSTANCE_ACQUIRED *ria);
 RRDHOST *rrdinstance_acquired_rrdhost(RRDINSTANCE_ACQUIRED *ria);
 RRDSET *rrdinstance_acquired_rrdset(RRDINSTANCE_ACQUIRED *ria);
diff --git a/database/rrd.h b/database/rrd.h
index c5a00aceac..baa3f4ab79 100644
--- a/database/rrd.h
+++ b/database/rrd.h
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ typedef struct rrdcalc RRDCALC;
 typedef struct rrdcalctemplate RRDCALCTEMPLATE;
 typedef struct alarm_entry ALARM_ENTRY;
 
+typedef struct rrdlabels RRDLABELS;
+
 typedef struct rrdfamily_acquired RRDFAMILY_ACQUIRED;
 typedef struct rrdvar_acquired RRDVAR_ACQUIRED;
 typedef struct rrdsetvar_acquired RRDSETVAR_ACQUIRED;
@@ -113,6 +115,7 @@ struct ml_metrics_statistics {
 #include "rrddimvar.h"
 #include "rrdcalc.h"
 #include "rrdcalctemplate.h"
+#include "rrdlabels.h"
 #include "streaming/rrdpush.h"
 #include "aclk/aclk_rrdhost_state.h"
 #include "sqlite/sqlite_health.h"
@@ -265,60 +268,6 @@ typedef enum __attribute__ ((__packed__)) rrddim_flags {
 #define rrddim_flag_set(rd, flag)   __atomic_or_fetch(&((rd)->flags), (flag), __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST)
 #define rrddim_flag_clear(rd, flag) __atomic_and_fetch(&((rd)->flags), ~(flag), __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST)
 
-typedef enum __attribute__ ((__packed__)) rrdlabel_source {
-    RRDLABEL_SRC_AUTO       = (1 << 0), // set when Netdata found the label by some automation
-    RRDLABEL_SRC_CONFIG     = (1 << 1), // set when the user configured the label
-    RRDLABEL_SRC_K8S        = (1 << 2), // set when this label is found from k8s (RRDLABEL_SRC_AUTO should also be set)
-    RRDLABEL_SRC_ACLK       = (1 << 3), // set when this label is found from ACLK (RRDLABEL_SRC_AUTO should also be set)
-
-    // more sources can be added here
-
-    RRDLABEL_FLAG_PERMANENT = (1 << 29), // set when this label should never be removed (can be overwritten though)
-    RRDLABEL_FLAG_OLD       = (1 << 30), // marks for rrdlabels internal use - they are not exposed outside rrdlabels
-    RRDLABEL_FLAG_NEW       = (1 << 31)  // marks for rrdlabels internal use - they are not exposed outside rrdlabels
-} RRDLABEL_SRC;
-
-#define RRDLABEL_FLAG_INTERNAL (RRDLABEL_FLAG_OLD | RRDLABEL_FLAG_NEW | RRDLABEL_FLAG_PERMANENT)
-
-size_t text_sanitize(unsigned char *dst, const unsigned char *src, size_t dst_size, unsigned char *char_map, bool utf, const char *empty, size_t *multibyte_length);
-
-DICTIONARY *rrdlabels_create(void);
-void rrdlabels_destroy(DICTIONARY *labels_dict);
-void rrdlabels_add(DICTIONARY *dict, const char *name, const char *value, RRDLABEL_SRC ls);
-void rrdlabels_add_pair(DICTIONARY *dict, const char *string, RRDLABEL_SRC ls);
-void rrdlabels_get_value_to_buffer_or_null(DICTIONARY *labels, BUFFER *wb, const char *key, const char *quote, const char *null);
-void rrdlabels_value_to_buffer_array_item_or_null(DICTIONARY *labels, BUFFER *wb, const char *key);
-void rrdlabels_get_value_strdup_or_null(DICTIONARY *labels, char **value, const char *key);
-void rrdlabels_get_value_strcpyz(DICTIONARY *labels, char *dst, size_t dst_len, const char *key);
-STRING *rrdlabels_get_value_string_dup(DICTIONARY *labels, const char *key);
-STRING *rrdlabels_get_value_to_buffer_or_unset(DICTIONARY *labels, BUFFER *wb, const char *key, const char *unset);
-void rrdlabels_flush(DICTIONARY *labels_dict);
-
-void rrdlabels_unmark_all(DICTIONARY *labels);
-void rrdlabels_remove_all_unmarked(DICTIONARY *labels);
-
-int rrdlabels_walkthrough_read(DICTIONARY *labels, int (*callback)(const char *name, const char *value, RRDLABEL_SRC ls, void *data), void *data);
-int rrdlabels_sorted_walkthrough_read(DICTIONARY *labels, int (*callback)(const char *name, const char *value, RRDLABEL_SRC ls, void *data), void *data);
-
-void rrdlabels_log_to_buffer(DICTIONARY *labels, BUFFER *wb);
-bool rrdlabels_match_simple_pattern(DICTIONARY *labels, const char *simple_pattern_txt);
-
-bool rrdlabels_match_simple_pattern_parsed(DICTIONARY *labels, SIMPLE_PATTERN *pattern, char equal, size_t *searches);
-int rrdlabels_to_buffer(DICTIONARY *labels, BUFFER *wb, const char *before_each, const char *equal, const char *quote, const char *between_them, bool (*filter_callback)(const char *name, const char *value, RRDLABEL_SRC ls, void *data), void *filter_data, void (*name_sanitizer)(char *dst, const char *src, size_t dst_size), void (*value_sanitizer)(char *dst, const char *src, size_t dst_size));
-void rrdlabels_to_buffer_json_members(DICTIONARY *labels, BUFFER *wb);
-
-void rrdlabels_migrate_to_these(DICTIONARY *dst, DICTIONARY *src);
-void rrdlabels_copy(DICTIONARY *dst, DICTIONARY *src);
-
-void reload_host_labels(void);
-void rrdset_update_rrdlabels(RRDSET *st, DICTIONARY *new_rrdlabels);
-void rrdset_save_rrdlabels_to_sql(RRDSET *st);
-void rrdhost_set_is_parent_label(void);
-int rrdlabels_unittest(void);
-
-// unfortunately this break when defined in exporting_engine.h
-bool exporting_labels_filter_callback(const char *name, const char *value, RRDLABEL_SRC ls, void *data);
-
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // engine-specific iterator state for dimension data collection
 typedef struct storage_collect_handle {
@@ -795,7 +744,7 @@ struct rrdset {
     int32_t priority;                               // the sorting priority of this chart
     int32_t update_every;                           // data collection frequency
 
-    DICTIONARY *rrdlabels;                          // chart labels
+    RRDLABELS *rrdlabels;                           // chart labels
     DICTIONARY *rrdsetvar_root_index;               // chart variables
     DICTIONARY *rrddimvar_root_index;               // dimension variables
                                                     // we use this dictionary to manage their allocation
@@ -1156,7 +1105,7 @@ struct rrdhost_system_info {
     int mc_version;
 };
 
-struct rrdhost_system_info *rrdhost_labels_to_system_info(DICTIONARY *labels);
+struct rrdhost_system_info *rrdhost_labels_to_system_info(RRDLABELS *labels);
 
 struct rrdhost {
     char machine_guid[GUID_LEN + 1];                // the unique ID of this host
@@ -1263,7 +1212,7 @@ struct rrdhost {
 
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     // Support for host-level labels
-    DICTIONARY *rrdlabels;
+    RRDLABELS *rrdlabels;
 
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     // Support for functions
@@ -1509,6 +1458,8 @@ time_t rrdset_last_entry_s_of_tier(RRDSET *st, size_t tier);
 
 void rrdset_get_retention_of_tier_for_collected_chart(RRDSET *st, time_t *first_time_s, time_t *last_time_s, time_t now_s, size_t tier);
 
+void rrdset_update_rrdlabels(RRDSET *st, RRDLABELS *new_rrdlabels);
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // RRD DIMENSION functions
 
@@ -1563,6 +1514,8 @@ void rrddim_store_metric(RRDDIM *rd, usec_t point_end_time_ut, NETDATA_DOUBLE n,
 // Miscellaneous functions
 
 char *rrdset_strncpyz_name(char *to, const char *from, size_t length);
+void reload_host_labels(void);
+void rrdhost_set_is_parent_label(void);
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // RRD internal functions
diff --git a/database/rrdcalc.c b/database/rrdcalc.c
index 8e41df8d65..9278aaf348 100644
--- a/database/rrdcalc.c
+++ b/database/rrdcalc.c
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ static STRING *rrdcalc_replace_variables_with_rrdset_labels(const char *line, RR
 void rrdcalc_update_info_using_rrdset_labels(RRDCALC *rc) {
     if(!rc->rrdset || !rc->original_info || !rc->rrdset->rrdlabels) return;
 
-    size_t labels_version = dictionary_version(rc->rrdset->rrdlabels);
+    size_t labels_version = rrdlabels_version(rc->rrdset->rrdlabels);
     if(rc->labels_version != labels_version) {
 
         STRING *old = rc->info;
diff --git a/database/rrdhost.c b/database/rrdhost.c
index b24047f401..2a5778bf15 100644
--- a/database/rrdhost.c
+++ b/database/rrdhost.c
@@ -1317,7 +1317,7 @@ void rrdhost_save_charts(RRDHOST *host) {
     rrdset_foreach_done(st);
 }
 
-struct rrdhost_system_info *rrdhost_labels_to_system_info(DICTIONARY *labels) {
+struct rrdhost_system_info *rrdhost_labels_to_system_info(RRDLABELS *labels) {
     struct rrdhost_syste