Engineering a Compiler - Hardcover

Cooper, Keith D.; Torczon, Linda

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 155860698X ISBN 13: 9781558606982

Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann, 2003

Synopsis

The proliferation of processors, environments, and constraints on systems has cast compiler technology into a wider variety of settings, changing the compiler and compiler writer's role. No longer is execution speed the sole criterion for judging compiled code. Today, code might be judged on how small it is, how much power it consumes, how well it compresses, or how many page faults it generates. In this evolving environment, the task of building a successful compiler relies upon the compiler writer's ability to balance and blend algorithms, engineering insights, and careful planning. Today's compiler writer must choose a path through a design space that is filled with diverse alternatives, each with distinct costs, advantages, and complexities.

Engineering a Compiler explores this design space by presenting some of the ways these problems have been solved, and the constraints that made each of those solutions attractive. By understanding the parameters of the problem and their impact on compiler design, the authors hope to convey both the depth of the problems and the breadth of possible solutions. Their goal is to cover a broad enough selection of material to show readers that real tradeoffs exist, and that the impact of those choices can be both subtle and far-reaching.

Authors Keith Cooper and Linda Torczon convey both the art and the science of compiler construction and show best practice algorithms for the major passes of a compiler. Their text re-balances the curriculum for an introductory course in compiler construction to reflect the issues that arise in current practice.

• Focuses on the back end of the compiler―reflecting the focus of research and development over the last decade.
• Uses the well-developed theory from scanning and parsing to introduce concepts that play a critical role in optimization and code generation.
• Introduces the student to optimization through data-flow analysis, SSA form, and a selection of scalar optimizations.
• Builds on this background to teach modern methods in code generation: instruction selection, instruction scheduling, and register allocation.
• Presents examples in several different programming languages in order to best illustrate the concept.
• Provides end-of-chapter exercises.

About this title

Product Description

Unusual book

Review

Keith Cooper and Linda Torczon are leading compilers researchers who have also built several state-of-the-art compilers. This book adeptly spans both worlds, by explaining both time-tested techniques and new algorithms, and by providing practical advice on engineering and constructing a compiler. Engineering a Compiler is a rich survey and exposition of the important techniques necessary to build a modern compiler.
-Jim Larus, Microsoft Research

A wonderful introduction to the theory, practice, and lore of modern compilers. Cooper and Torczon convey the simple joys of this subject that
follow from the elegant interplay between compilation and the rest of computer science. If you're looking for an end-to-end tour of compiler
construction annotated with a broad range of practical experiences, this is the book.
-Michael D. Smith, Harvard University

Modern compilers have played critical roles in areas such as software development tools, application performance, and processor design. This book has done an excellent job of illustrating various state-of-the-art technologies for an advanced compiler, in particular, optimization and code generation, the core of modern compilers. Compilers have evolved into complicated software and what makes a good compiler largely lies in the wisdom of engineering during design and development. The readers of this book can certainly learn how to construct a modern compiler with various engineering trade-offs.

-Roy Ju, Senior Researcher,Microprocessor Research Labs, Intel Corp.

As researchers, the authors have made major contributions to the literature and as teachers, they have produced leaders in the field. The combination is reflected in a book that is rich with the insight of great research and written with the clarity of experienced teachers. The result is an outstanding text.

-Steve Blackburn, The Australian National University

Edition details

• Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 155860698X
• ISBN 13: 9781558606982
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 832