Optimizing Ada on the fly

ABSTRACT

One of the features that makes Ada such a reliable programming language is its use of run-time constraint checks. However, such checks slow program execution and increase program size.The AdaMagic™ compiler uses one-pass, on-the-fly flow analysis during intermediate-language generation specifically to eliminate unnecessary constraint checks and to warn about potential error situations such as the use of uninitialized variables.The one-pass nature of our method allows for faster compile times than more elaborate multi-pass flow analysis. Thus, we are able to generate efficient code without the impact on compile-time, and without the added implementation complexity, associated with a traditional separate optimization phase.

REFERENCES

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.3 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

General Terms:
Design, Languages

Keywords:
Ada, array bounds checking, check elimination, compiler, optimization, range checking, range propagation, uninitialized variables, warnings