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CM30171: Advanced compilers

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2013/4
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Computer Science
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment: CW 75%, EX 25%
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: CM30171 Mandatory Extra Work (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites: Before taking this unit you must take CM20214
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
To acquire an appreciation of the suitability of different techniques for the analysis of and representations for programming languages, followed by the various means to interpret them. To demonstrate the impact that computer architecture is having on compiler design. To explore trends in hardware development, and examine techniques for efficient use of machine resources.

Learning Outcomes:
1. To be able to choose suitable techniques for lexing, parsing, type analysis, intermediate representation, transformation and interpretation given the properties of the language to be implemented.
2. To be able to describe the philosophy of RISC and CISC architectures.
3. Knowledge of at least one technique for register allocation, and one technique for instruction scheduling.
4. The ability to write a simple code generator.

Skills:
Problem solving (T/F, A).

Content:
Construction of lexical analysers, recursive descent parsing, construction of LR parser tables, type checking, polymorphic type synthesis, abstract interpretation, storage management, byte-code interpreters, code-threaded interpreters, partial evaluation, staging transformations.
Description of several state-of-the-art chip designs. The implications for compilers of RISC architectures. Register allocation algorithms (colouring, DAGS, scheduling). Global data-flow analysis. Pipelines and instruction scheduling; delayed branches and loads. Multiple instruction issue. VLIW and the Bulldog compiler. Harvard architecture and Caches. Benchmarking.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

CM30171 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Computer Science
  • USCM-AFB06 : BSc (hons) Computer Science (Full-time) - Year 3
  • USCM-AKB07 : BSc (hons) Computer Science (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • USCM-AKB19 : BSc (hons) Computer Science (incl. ab initio Japanese Language & with Industrial Placement) (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • USCM-AFB09 : BSc (hons) Computer Science with Business (Full-time) - Year 3
  • USCM-AKB10 : BSc (hons) Computer Science with Business (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • USCM-AAB10 : BSc (hons) Computer Science with Business with Study Year Abroad (Full-time with Study Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • USCM-AKB16 : BSc (hons) Computer Science with German Language (with Industrial Placement) (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • USCM-AAB16 : BSc (hons) Computer Science with German Language (with Study Year Abroad) (Full-time with Study Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • USCM-AKB17 : BSc (hons) Computer Science with Spanish Language (with Industrial Placement) (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • USCM-AAB17 : BSc (hons) Computer Science with Spanish Language (with Study Year Abroad) (Full-time with Study Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • USCM-AAB07 : BSc (hons) Computer Science with Study Year Abroad (Full-time with Study Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • USCM-AFM01 : MComp (hons) Computer Science (Full-time) - Year 3
  • USCM-AKM02 : MComp (hons) Computer Science (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • USCM-AAM02 : MComp (hons) Computer Science with Study Year Abroad (Full-time with Study Year Abroad) - Year 4

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2013/4 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2014/15 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2013/14.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.