[LLVMdev] Optimization application by llvm-gcc, opt

[Duncan Sands]

Hi RaghuB,

> I wanted to clarify something about the application of optimizations by llvm-gcc, opt and llc.
>
> Will the following two sequences generate the same optimized bitcode?
>     a) $ llvm-gcc -O3 -c -emit-llvm foo.c  -o foo.bc
>     b) $ llvm-gcc -O0 -c -emit-llvm foo.c -o foo.bc
>        $ opt -O3 foo.bc

not necessarily, though usually it is the same.  One reason for this is that
the per-function passes run by llvm-gcc are used to clean up functions as they
are output, while with opt they are run after the entire module has been
generated.  The difference is that when a function is output some things like
global variables may have only been partially output (eg may not have an initial
value yet) resulting in less or different optimization.

Ciao, Duncan.