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Interpreter optimization resources
Mamy Ratsimbazafy edited this page Jun 12, 2018
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This is a collection of links for interpreter optimizations. Target audience is Nimbus developers.
| Description | Link |
|---|---|
| Design of a bytecode interpreter, including Stack vs Register, how to represent values (single type, tagged unions, untagged union, interface/virtual function) | http://gameprogrammingpatterns.com/bytecode.html |
| Writing a fast interpreter: control-flow graph optimization from LuaJIT author | http://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2011-02/msg00742.html |
| In-depth dive on how to write an emulator | http://fms.komkon.org/EMUL8/HOWTO.html |
| Review of interpreter dispatch strategies to limit branch mispredictions: direct threaded code vs indirect threaded code vs token threaded code vs switch based dispatching vs replicated switch dispatching + Bibliography | http://realityforge.org/code/virtual-machines/2011/05/19/interpreters.html |
| Fast VMs without assembly - speeding up the interpreter loop: threaded interpreter, duff's device, JIT, Nostradamus distributor | http://www.emulators.com/docs/nx25_nostradamus.htm |
| Switch case vs Table vs Function caching/dynarec | http://ngemu.com/threads/switch-case-vs-function-table.137562/ |
| Jump tables vs Switch | http://www.cipht.net/2017/10/03/are-jump-tables-always-fastest.html |
| Paper: branch prediction and the performance of Interpreters - Don't trust the folklore | https://hal.inria.fr/hal-01100647/document |
| Paper by author of ANTLR: The Structure and Performance of Efficient Interpreters | https://www.jilp.org/vol5/v5paper12.pdf |
| Paper by author of ANTLR introducing dynamic replication: Optimizing Indirect Branch Prediction Accuracy in Virtual Machine Interpreter | https://www.scss.tcd.ie/David.Gregg/papers/toplas05.pdf |
| Benchmarking VM Dispatch strategies in Rust: Switch vs unrolled switch vs tail call dispatch vs Computed Gotos | https://pliniker.github.io/post/dispatchers/ |
| Computed Gotos for fast dispatching in Python | https://github.com/python/cpython/blob/9d6171ded5c56679bc295bacffc718472bcb706b/Python/ceval.c#L571-L608 |
| Description | Link |
|---|---|
| Dynamic recompilation introduction | http://ngemu.com/threads/dynamic-recompilation-an-introduction.20491/ |
| Dynamic recompilation guide with Chip8 | https://github.com/marco9999/Dynarec_Guide/blob/master/Introduction%20to%20Dynamic%20Recompilation%20in%20Emulation.pdf |
| Dynamic recompilation - accompanying source code | https://github.com/marco9999/Super8_jitcore/ |
| Presentation: Interpretation (basic indirect and direct threaded) vs binary translation | http://www.ittc.ku.edu/~kulkarni/teaching/EECS768/slides/chapter2.pdf |
| Threaded interpretation vs Dynarec | http://www.emutalk.net/threads/55275-Threaded-interpretation-vs-Dynamic-Binary-Translation |
| Dynamic recompilation wiki | http://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Dynamic_recompilation |
Context threading is a promising alternative to Direct/Indirect/Call/Token/Subroutine/Switch threading that makes interpretation nice with the hardware branch predictor. Practical implementation wanted:
-
Bochs x86 emulator
- Virtualization without Execution: Designing a portable VM - Powerpoint
- Virtualization without Execution - Paper
- Author is also the author of the Nostradamus Distributor linked in pure itnerpreter optimizations
- MorphoVM
import random, sequtils, times
type
Op = enum
Halt # = 0x0000
Inc # = 0x0100
Dec # = 0x0110
Mul2 # = 0x0230
Div2 # = 0x0240
Add7 # = 0x0307
Neg # = 0x0400
func interp_switch(code: seq[Op], initVal: int): int =
var
pc = 0
result = initVal
while true:
case code[pc]:
of Halt:
return
of Inc:
inc pc
inc result
of Dec:
inc pc
dec result
of Mul2:
inc pc
result *= 2
of Div2:
inc pc
result = result div 2
of Add7:
inc pc
inc result, 7
of Neg:
inc pc
result = -result
#################################################################################################################
func interp_cgoto(code: seq[Op], initVal: int): int =
# Requires a dense enum
var
pc = 0
result = initVal
while true:
{.computedGoto.}
let instr = code[pc]
case instr:
of Halt:
return
of Inc:
inc pc
inc result
of Dec:
inc pc
dec result
of Mul2:
inc pc
result *= 2
of Div2:
inc pc
result = result div 2
of Add7:
inc pc
inc result, 7
of Neg:
inc pc
result = -result
#################################################################################################################
func halt(result: var int, stop: var bool) {.inline, nimcall.}=
stop = true
func inc(result: var int, stop: var bool) {.inline, nimcall.}=
inc result
func dec(result: var int, stop: var bool) {.inline, nimcall.}=
dec result
func mul2(result: var int, stop: var bool) {.inline, nimcall.}=
result *= 2
func div2(result: var int, stop: var bool) {.inline, nimcall.}=
result = result div 2
func add7(result: var int, stop: var bool) {.inline, nimcall.}=
inc result, 7
func neg(result: var int, stop: var bool) {.inline, nimcall.}=
result = -result
# Requires dense enum
type InstrF = proc (result: var int, stop: var bool){.inline, nimcall, noSideEffect, gcsafe, locks: 0.}
type FuncTable = array[Op, InstrF]
const funcTable: FuncTable = [
Halt: halt,
Inc: inc,
Dec: dec,
Mul2: mul2,
Div2: div2,
Add7: add7,
Neg: neg
]
proc interp_ftable(code: seq[Op], initVal: int): int =
# Requires dense enum
var
pc = 0
stop = false
result = initVal
while not stop:
funcTable[code[pc]](result, stop)
inc pc
#################################################################################################################
type
InstrNext = proc (val: var int, code: seq[Op], pc: var int, stop: var bool): OpH {.inline, nimcall.}
OpH = ref object
handler: InstrNext
FuncTableNext = array[Op, OpH]
proc halt(val: var int, code: seq[Op], pc: var int, stop: var bool): OpH {.inline, nimcall.}
proc inc(val: var int, code: seq[Op], pc: var int, stop: var bool): OpH {.inline, nimcall.}
proc dec(val: var int, code: seq[Op], pc: var int, stop: var bool): OpH {.inline, nimcall.}
proc mul2(val: var int, code: seq[Op], pc: var int, stop: var bool): OpH {.inline, nimcall.}
proc div2(val: var int, code: seq[Op], pc: var int, stop: var bool): OpH {.inline, nimcall.}
proc add7(val: var int, code: seq[Op], pc: var int, stop: var bool): OpH {.inline, nimcall.}
proc neg(val: var int, code: seq[Op], pc: var int, stop: var bool): OpH {.inline, nimcall.}
let funcTableNext: FuncTableNext = [
Halt: OpH(handler: halt),
Inc: OpH(handler: inc),
Dec: OpH(handler: dec),
Mul2: OpH(handler: mul2),
Div2: OpH(handler: div2),
Add7: OpH(handler: add7),
Neg: OpH(handler: neg)
]
proc halt(val: var int, code: seq[Op], pc: var int, stop: var bool): OpH {.inline, nimcall.}=
stop = true
proc inc(val: var int, code: seq[Op], pc: var int, stop: var bool): OpH {.inline, nimcall.}=
inc val
inc pc
result = funcTableNext[code[pc]]
proc dec(val: var int, code: seq[Op], pc: var int, stop: var bool): OpH {.inline, nimcall.}=
dec val
inc pc
result = funcTableNext[code[pc]]
proc mul2(val: var int, code: seq[Op], pc: var int, stop: var bool): OpH {.inline, nimcall.}=
val *= 2
inc pc
result = funcTableNext[code[pc]]
proc div2(val: var int, code: seq[Op], pc: var int, stop: var bool): OpH {.inline, nimcall.}=
val = val div 2
inc pc
result = funcTableNext[code[pc]]
proc add7(val: var int, code: seq[Op], pc: var int, stop: var bool): OpH {.inline, nimcall.}=
inc val, 7
inc pc
result = funcTableNext[code[pc]]
proc neg(val: var int, code: seq[Op], pc: var int, stop: var bool): OpH {.inline, nimcall.}=
val = -val
inc pc
result = funcTableNext[code[pc]]
proc interp_handlers(code: seq[Op], initVal: int): int =
# Requires dense enum
var
pc = 0
stop = false
oph = funcTableNext[code[pc]]
result = initVal
while not stop:
oph = oph.handler(result, code, pc, stop)
#################################################################################################################
type
OpD = ref object {.inheritable.}
Ohalt {.final.}= ref object of OpD
Oinc {.final.}= ref object of OpD
Odec {.final.}= ref object of OpD
Omul2 {.final.}= ref object of OpD
Odiv2 {.final.}= ref object of OpD
Oadd7 {.final.}= ref object of OpD
Oneg {.final.}= ref object of OpD
FuncTableToken = array[Op, OpD]
method execute(op: OpD, result: var int, stop: var bool) {.base, inline, noSideEffect.} =
raise newException(ValueError, "To override")
method execute(op: Ohalt, result: var int, stop: var bool) {.inline, noSideEffect.}=
stop = true
method execute(op: Oinc, result: var int, stop: var bool) {.inline, noSideEffect.}=
inc result
method execute(op: Odec, result: var int, stop: var bool) {.inline, noSideEffect.}=
dec result
method execute(op: Omul2, result: var int, stop: var bool) {.inline, noSideEffect.}=
result *= 2
method execute(op: Odiv2, result: var int, stop: var bool) {.inline, noSideEffect.}=
result = result div 2
method execute(op: Oadd7, result: var int, stop: var bool) {.inline, noSideEffect.}=
inc result, 7
method execute(op: Oneg, result: var int, stop: var bool) {.inline, noSideEffect.}=
result = -result
let funcTableToken: FuncTableToken = [
Halt: Ohalt(),
Inc: Oinc(),
Dec: Odec(),
Mul2: Omul2(),
Div2: Odiv2(),
Add7: Oadd7(),
Neg: Oneg()
]
proc interp_methods(code: seq[Op], initVal: int): int =
# Requires dense enum
var
pc = 0
stop = false
opt: OpD
result = initVal
while not stop:
opt = funcTableToken[code[pc]]
opt.execute(result, stop)
inc pc
#################################################################################################################
import random, sequtils, times, os, strutils, strformat
const Nb_Instructions = 1_000_000_000
template bench(impl: untyped) =
let start = cpuTime()
let r = impl(instructions, n)
let stop = cpuTIme()
let elapsed = stop - start
echo "result: " & $r
let procname = impl.astToStr
let mips = (Nb_Instructions.float / (1_000_000.0 * elapsed))
echo procname & " took " & $elapsed & "s for " & $Nb_Instructions & " instructions: " & $mips & " Mips (M instructions/s)"
proc main(n: int)=
randomize(42)
let ops = [Inc, Dec, Mul2, Div2, Add7, Neg]
let instructions = newSeqWith(Nb_Instructions, rand(ops)) & Halt
bench(interp_switch)
bench(interp_cgoto) # requires dense enum (no holes)
bench(interp_ftable) # requires dense enum (no holes) or tables (instead of arrays)
bench(interp_handlers) # requires dense enum (no holes) or tables (instead of arrays)
bench(interp_methods) # requires dense enum (no holes) or tables (instead of arrays)
# Warmup
var start = cpuTime()
block:
var foo = 123
for i in 0 ..< 1_000_000_000:
foo += i*i mod 456
foo = foo mod 789
# Compiler shouldn't optimize away the results as cpuTime rely on sideeffects
var stop = cpuTime()
echo "Warmup: " & $(stop - start) & "s"
# Main loop
let arguments = commandLineParams()
let initial = if arguments.len > 0: parseInt($arguments[0])
else: 1
main(initial)
### Results on i5-5257U (Broadwell mobile dual core 2.7 turbo 3.1Ghz)
# Warmup: 4.081501s
# result: -14604293096444
# interp_switch took 8.604712000000003s for 1000000000 instructions: 116.2153945419672 Mips (M instructions/s)
# result: -14604293096444
# interp_cgoto took 7.367597000000004s for 1000000000 instructions: 135.7294651159665 Mips (M instructions/s)
# result: -201628509198920 <--- some bug here to fix
# interp_ftable took 8.957571000000002s for 1000000000 instructions: 111.6374070604631 Mips (M instructions/s)
# result: -14604293096444
# interp_handlers took 11.039072s for 1000000000 instructions: 90.58732473164413 Mips (M instructions/s)
# result: -14604293096444
# interp_methods took 23.359635s for 1000000000 instructions: 42.80888806695823 Mips (M instructions/s)