Learn LLVM 17 : a beginner's guide to learning LLVM compiler tools and core libraries with C++ / Kai Nacke, Amy Kwan.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Nacke, Kai, author.

Kwan, Amy, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Compilers (Computer programs).

C++ (Computer program language).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (416 pages) : illustrations

Edition:

Second edition.

Place of Publication:

Birmingham, UK : Packt Publishing Ltd., 2024.

Summary:

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.

Contents:

Cover

Title Page

Copyright and Credits

Contributors

Table of Contents

Preface

Part 1: The Basics of Compiler Construction with LLVM

Chapter 1: Installing LLVM

Compiling LLVM versus installing binaries

Getting the prerequisites ready

Ubuntu

Fedora and RedHat

FreeBSD

OS X

Windows

Cloning the repository and building from source

Configuring Git

Cloning the repository

Creating a build directory

Generating the build system files

Compiling and installing LLVM

Customizing the build process

Variables defined by CMake

Using LLVM-defined build configuration variables

Summary

Chapter 2: The Structure of a Compiler

Building blocks of a compiler

An arithmetic expression language

Formalism for specifying the syntax of a programming language

How does grammar help the compiler writer?

Lexical analysis

A hand-written lexer

Syntactical analysis

A hand-written parser

The abstract syntax tree

Semantic analysis

Generating code with the LLVM backend

Textual representation of LLVM IR

Generating the IR from the AST

The missing pieces

the driver and the runtime library

Learning about the load-and-store approach

Mapping the control flow to basic blocks

Using AST numbering to generate IR code in SSA form

Defining the data structure to hold values

Reading and writing values local to a basic block

Searching the predecessor blocks for a value

Optimizing the generated phi instructions

Sealing a block

Creating the IR code for expressions

Emitting the IR code for a function

Controlling visibility with linkage and name mangling

Converting a type from an AST description into LLVM types

Creating the LLVM IR function

Emitting the function body

Setting up the module and the driver

Wrapping all in the code generator

Initializing the target machine class

Emitting assembler text and object code

Chapter 5: IR Generation for High-Level Language Constructs

Technical requirements

Working with arrays, structs, and pointers

Getting the application binary interface right

Creating IR code for classes and virtual functions

Implementing single inheritance

Extending single inheritance with interfaces

Adding support for multiple inheritance

Summary

Notes:

Includes index.

OCLC-licensed vendor bibliographic record.

OCLC:

1418761019