[LLVMdev] Getting To Native Code

[Vikram Adve]

Let me add to one point that Misha made (just to show I actually read 
these messages!)...

>>
>> Any ballpark ideas on when an alpha version could be available? Are we
>> talking months or years here?
>
> First of all, I would like to point out that the goal is *NOT* to 
> compile Linux
> to run natively on your favorite architecture; instead, we aim to 
> compile Linux
> to a bytecode file which can then be run in userspace via an execution
> environment (i.e., code generator + implementation of OS services for 
> a given
> target). The goal here is to abstract away the hardware from the OS, 
> using
> these magical `intrinsics' that were mentioned. This means that Linux 
> is ported
> to run on a fundamentally new architecture, which we call LLVA. You 
> can see
> our MICRO paper on this topic:
>
>   http://llvm.cs.uiuc.edu/pubs/2003-10-01-LLVA.html

The above paper describes LLVA as a virtual instruction set for new 
processor designs.  But in the context of Linux, LLVA can be a way to 
virtualize the processor even for ordinary processors.   I thought I 
should clarify this because our MICRO paper does not try to make this 
point.

LLVA is essentially LLVM extended with enough low-level details to act 
as a hardware instruction set, as opposed to "just" a compiler and 
user-level code representation.



> This implies that it is not intended for end-user consumption but more
> for a proof-of-concept and ongoing research potential.

You're being too modest, Misha --- this is going to be the Linux of the 
future :)

--Vikram
http://www.cs.uiuc.edu/~vadve
http://llvm.cs.uiuc.edu/


>
> That said, we don't really have an estimate for when this will be 
> functional
> and available. It's ongoing at this time, but as John said, in very 
> early
> stages.
>
> -- 
> Misha Brukman :: http://misha.brukman.net
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