Book Image

Learn LLVM 17 - Second Edition

By : Kai Nacke, Amy Kwan
Book Image

Learn LLVM 17 - Second Edition

By: Kai Nacke, Amy Kwan

Overview of this book

LLVM was built to bridge the gap between the theoretical knowledge found in compiler textbooks and the practical demands of compiler development. With a modular codebase and advanced tools, LLVM empowers developers to build compilers with ease. This book serves as a practical introduction to LLVM, guiding you progressively through complex scenarios and ensuring that you navigate the challenges of building and working with compilers like a pro. The book starts by showing you how to configure, build, and install LLVM libraries, tools, and external projects. You’ll then be introduced to LLVM's design, unraveling its applications in each compiler stage: frontend, optimizer, and backend. Using a real programming language subset, you'll build a frontend, generate LLVM IR, optimize it through the pipeline, and generate machine code. Advanced chapters extend your expertise, covering topics such as extending LLVM with a new pass, using LLVM tools for debugging, and enhancing the quality of your code. You'll also focus on just-in-time compilation issues and the current state of JIT-compilation support with LLVM. Finally, you’ll develop a new backend for LLVM, gaining insights into target description and how instruction selection works. By the end of this book, you'll have hands-on experience with the LLVM compiler development framework through real-world examples and source code snippets.
Table of Contents (20 chapters)
1
Part 1: The Basics of Compiler Construction with LLVM
4
Part 2: From Source to Machine Code Generation
10
Part 3: Taking LLVM to the Next Level
14
Part 4: Roll Your Own Backend

Basics of IR Code Generation

Having created a decorated abstract syntax tree (AST) for your programming language, the next task is to generate the LLVM IR code from it. LLVM IR code resembles a three-address code with a human-readable representation. Therefore, we need a systematic approach to translate language concepts such as control structures into the lower level of LLVM IR.

In this chapter, you will learn about the basics of LLVM IR and how to generate IR for control flow structures from the AST. You will also learn how to generate LLVM IR for expressions in static single assignment (SSA) form using a modern algorithm. Finally, you will learn how to emit assembler text and object code.

This chapter will cover the following topics:

  • Generating IR from the AST
  • Using AST numbering to generate IR code in SSA form
  • Setting up the module and the driver

By the end of this chapter, you will know how to create a code generator for your programming language and...