Retargetable Compiler Code Generation

Abstract

A classlficaUon of automated retargetable code generation techniques and a survey of the work on these techmques is presented Retargetable code generation research.is classified into three categories: interpretive code generation, pattern-matched code generation, and table-driven code generatlon. Interpretive code generation approaches generate code for a virtual machine and then expand into real target code Pattern-matched code generation approaches separate the machine description from the code generation algorithm. Tabledriven code generation approaches employ a formal machine description and use a code-' generator generator to produce code generators automatically. An analysis Qf these techniques and a critique of automatic code generation algorithms are presented,