Does JIT uses GCC or any other native compiler as its backend to generate its native code?
Also, is there any relation between the C2, C1 of JIT and O1, O2, O3 optimization flags of GCC?
Thanks for the answer.
The JVM is a standalone operating system process that interprets byte codes (in Java, .class type files) and runs them. That may mean it runs code that stays entirely inside of the JVM (perhaps string concatenation for example) or calls the underlying O/S to take care of the code it is running (for example, reading a file). Each JVM will implement this it's own way but it does not create a file in another programming language to then be handled by that environment.
GCC converts C and C++ code to the assembly / machine code appropriate for the processor it is built for (i.e. x86_64, Arm64, etc.) Generally the output from GCC is meant for a single type of processor and operating system. There are exceptions - some compilers can build "fat" binaries that contain code targeted at multiple processors.
So, because of that, the JVM doesn't understand or care about the GCC optimization flags. While the JVM itself is likely compiled with a compiler like GCC once it's built it no longer has any interaction with the GCC (or other) compiler.
I've been reading that in most cases (like gcc) the compiler reads the source code in a high level language and spits out the corresponding machine code. Now, machine code by definition is the code that a processor can understand directly. So, machine code should be only machine (processor) dependent and OS independent. But this is not the case. Even if 2 different operating systems are running on the same processor, I can not run the same compiled file (.exe for Windows or .out for Linux) on both the Operating Systems.
So, what am I missing? Is the output of a gcc compiler (and most compilers) not Machine Code? Or is Machine Code not the lowest level of code and the OS translated it further to a set of instructions that the processor can execute?
You are confusing a few things. I retargettable compiler like gcc and other generic compilers compile files to objects, then the linker later links objects with other libraries as needed to make a so called binary that the operating system can then read, parse, load the loadable blocks and start execution.
A sane compiler author will use assembly language as the output of the compiler then the compiler or the user in their makefile calls the assembler which creates the object. This is how gcc works. And how clang works sorta, but llc can make objects directly now not just assembly that gets assembled.
It makes far more sense to generate debuggable assembly language that produce raw machine code. You really need a good reason like JIT to skip the step. I would avoid toolchains that go straight to machine code just because they can, they are harder to maintain and more likely to have bugs or take longer to fix bugs.
If the architecture is the same there is no reason why you cant have a generic toolchain generate code for incompatible operating systems. the gnu tools for example can do this. Operating system differences are not by definition at the machine code level most are at the high level language level C libraries that you can to create gui windows, etc have nothing to do with the machine code nor the processor architecture, for some operating systems the same operating system specific C code can be used on mips or arm or powerpc or x86. where the architecture becomes specific is the mechanism that actual system calls are invoked. A specific instruction is often used. and machine code is eventually used yes but no reason why this cant be coded in real or inline assembly.
And then this leads to libraries, even fopen and printf which are generic C calls eventually have to make a system call so much of the library support code can be in a compatible across systems high level language, there will need to be a system and architecture specific bit of code for the last mile. You should see this in glibc sources, or hooks into newlib for example in other library solutions. As examples.
Same is true for other languages like C++ as it is for C. Interpreted languages have additional layers but their virtual machines are just programs that sit on similar layers.
Low level programming doesnt mean machine nor assembly language it just means whatever programming language you are using accesses at a lower level, below the application or below the operating system, etc...
Compilers produce assembly code, which is a human-readable version of machine code (eg, instead of 1's and 0's you have actual commands). However, the correct assembly/machine code needed to make your program run correctly is different depending on the operating system. So the language the processors use is the same, but your program needs to talk to the operating system, which is different.
For example, say you're writing a Hello World program. You need to print the phrase "Hello, World" onto the screen. Your program, will need to go through the OS to actually do that, and different OSes have different interfaces.
I'm deliberately avoiding technical terms here to keep the answer understandable for beginners. To be more precise, your program needs to go through the operating system to interact with the other hardware on your computer(eg, keyboard, display). This is done through system calls that are different for each family of OS.
The machine code that is generated can run on any of the same type of processor it was generated for. The challenge is that your code will interact with other modules or programs on the system and to do that you need a conventions for calling and returning. The code generated assumes a runtime environment (OS) as well as library support (calling conventions). Those are not consistent across operating systems.
So, things break when they need to transition to and depend on other modules using conventions defined by the operating system's calling conventions.
Even if the machine code instructions are identical for the compiled program on two different operating systems (not at all likely, since different operating systems provide different services in different ways), the machine code needs to be stored in a format that the host OS can use "load into" a process for execution. And those formats are frequently different between different operating systems.
Hopefully this hasn't been asked and answered already, but I just had a quick question on ARM.
Specifically, if when compiling Android (which has a lot of C and C++), you use GCC to compile, doesn't that create x86 based code? How is it that an ARM processor, which uses a reduced instruction set, can interpret this code and run like it does?
Thanks!
GCC doesn't just compile for x86. It actually compiles to any instruction set. If you wanted to you could create a new one just by adding a few files.
And ARM isn't a reduced instruction set. Its a completely different instruction set. There's some things ARM has that x86 doesn't and vice versa.
Building gcc goes through a configuration step, part of this is to specify a back-end. The back-end is responsible for op-code generation. The typical compiler is many phases. Briefly,
Parser - convert text to a data representation.
Front end - Optimize by changing code constructs, possibly language specific.
Middle end - Performs computer science optimization that are common to any compiler.
Back end - Performs optimization specific to the target CPU.
See stackoverflow compiler wiki for more.
So parts one to three are common for the x86 and the ARM versions of gcc (or any gcc). The Android compiler is a version of gcc which has been configured to generate ARM code. It is a different compiler than the one that normally runs on an x86. You maybe running an ARM emulator on a PC and then believe that this code is run by the x86. However, this is a virtual ARM machine running this code. An x86 processor can not run ARM code natively.
The Android gcc is an ARM configured gcc. A normal Linux distributions gcc is configured for an x86 or x86_64.
Something is missing above: Who compiles the compiler? In both cases, an x86 compiler compile the new compiler. The difference is the selected back-end. One is x86, the other ARM. Both compilers run on an x86, but they generate code for different targets. Gcc can only generate code for an ARM or an x86; never both via any sort of command line switch. A compiler build usually refers to three different CPU types.
Build - Machine where the compiler is built. This is the compiler's compiler.
Host - the machine the compiler runs on. Not it's output, but the compiler itself.
Target - the machine the back-end targets. The one code is generated for.
I think maybe people are thinking because they both run on the same host, they must generate code for the same target. But that is not true; it is a little mind bending at first. Depending on the setup, you may need compilers for each of these machines to make a final compiler.
The first compiler for any machine is usually a cross compiler. Except for some people who made primitive compilers long ago in assembler.
See also: Cross compiler.
to put it simply, when you're building for ARM on your x86 computer you're using a cross-compiler - a compiler that runs on one platform but generates code for another. This is extremely common when developing for embedded or mobile platforms.
Breakpoints are one of the coolest feature supported by most popular Debuggers like GDB. But how a breakpoint works ? What code modifications does the compiler do to achieve the breakpoint? Are there any special hardware features used to support breakpoints?
Compiler does not need to "modify" the binary in any way to support the breakpoints. However it is important, that:
Compiler includes enough information in the executable (that is not in the code itself but in special sections in same file), so that debugger can relate source that user wants to debug with machine code. One typical thing debugger needs to know to be able to set breakpoints (unless you specify addresses directly), is where (at which address) program functions and lines of source code start (within machine code).
Code is not optimized by compiler in any way, that makes it impossible to relate source and machine code. Typically you will want debug code that was not optimized or code where only carefully selected optimizations were performed.
The rest of work is then performed by debugger itself.
Software breakpoints don't necessarily need special hardware features. Debugger here relies on modifying original binary (it's copy that is loaded to memory). When you set a breakpoint, debugger will place special instruction at the location of breakpoint. This special instruction needs to somehow let debugger detect when it (this special instruction) is executing. This can be some instruction that causes some kind of interrupt/exception, that debugger can hook onto, or some instruction that handles the control to debug unit. If this runs under some OS, that OS needs to support modifying running program (with something like ptrace poke/peek). Downside of SW breakpoints is that debugger needs to be able to modify running program, which is not possible if program is running from some kind of read-only memory (quite common in embedded world).
Hardware breakpoints (which need to be supported by CPU) implement similar behavior without modifying program binary. This is CPU specific, but usually it lets you to at least define a program address at which execution should hit a breakpoint. CPU continuously compares current PC with these breakpoint addresses and once the condition is matched, it breaks the execution. Number of these breakpoints is always limited.
To put a break point first we have to add some special information in to the binary .We use the flag -g while compiling the c source files to include this info.The Software debugger actually use this info to put break points.The best example for hardware break point support is in VxWorks as I have experienced.
Basically at the break point the processor halts.So internally any step which will give an exception to processor can be used to put a software break point.While a Hardware break point works by matching the address stored in Hardware registers to cause an exception.So Hardware break point is very powerful but it is heavily architecture dependent.
A very good explanation is here
What is the difference between hardware and software breakpoints?
A good intro with Processor related information is given here
http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/How_Do_Breakpoints_Work
What does a JIT compiler specifically do as opposed to a non-JIT compiler? Can someone give a succinct and easy to understand description?
A JIT compiler runs after the program has started and compiles the code (usually bytecode or some kind of VM instructions) on the fly (or just-in-time, as it's called) into a form that's usually faster, typically the host CPU's native instruction set. A JIT has access to dynamic runtime information whereas a standard compiler doesn't and can make better optimizations like inlining functions that are used frequently.
This is in contrast to a traditional compiler that compiles all the code to machine language before the program is first run.
To paraphrase, conventional compilers build the whole program as an EXE file BEFORE the first time you run it. For newer style programs, an assembly is generated with pseudocode (p-code). Only AFTER you execute the program on the OS (e.g., by double-clicking on its icon) will the (JIT) compiler kick in and generate machine code (m-code) that the Intel-based processor or whatever will understand.
In the beginning, a compiler was responsible for turning a high-level language (defined as higher level than assembler) into object code (machine instructions), which would then be linked (by a linker) into an executable.
At one point in the evolution of languages, compilers would compile a high-level language into pseudo-code, which would then be interpreted (by an interpreter) to run your program. This eliminated the object code and executables, and allowed these languages to be portable to multiple operating systems and hardware platforms. Pascal (which compiled to P-Code) was one of the first; Java and C# are more recent examples. Eventually the term P-Code was replaced with bytecode, since most of the pseudo-operations are a byte long.
A Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler is a feature of the run-time interpreter, that instead of interpreting bytecode every time a method is invoked, will compile the bytecode into the machine code instructions of the running machine, and then invoke this object code instead. Ideally the efficiency of running object code will overcome the inefficiency of recompiling the program every time it runs.
JIT-Just in time
the word itself says when it's needed (on demand)
Typical scenario:
The source code is completely converted into machine code
JIT scenario:
The source code will be converted into assembly language like structure [for ex IL (intermediate language) for C#, ByteCode for java].
The intermediate code is converted into machine language only when the application needs that is required codes are only converted to machine code.
JIT vs Non-JIT comparison:
In JIT not all the code is converted into machine code first a part
of the code that is necessary will be converted into machine code
then if a method or functionality called is not in machine then that
will be turned into machine code... it reduces burden on the CPU.
As the machine code will be generated on run time....the JIT
compiler will produce machine code that is optimised for running
machine's CPU architecture.
JIT Examples:
In Java JIT is in JVM (Java Virtual Machine)
In C# it is in CLR (Common Language Runtime)
In Android it is in DVM (Dalvik Virtual Machine), or ART (Android RunTime) in newer versions.
As other have mentioned
JIT stands for Just-in-Time which means that code gets compiled when it is needed, not before runtime.
Just to add a point to above discussion JVM maintains a count as of how many time a function is executed. If this count exceeds a predefined limit JIT compiles the code into machine language which can directly be executed by the processor (unlike the normal case in which javac compile the code into bytecode and then java - the interpreter interprets this bytecode line by line converts it into machine code and executes).
Also next time this function is calculated same compiled code is executed again unlike normal interpretation in which the code is interpreted again line by line. This makes execution faster.
JIT compiler only compiles the byte-code to equivalent native code at first execution. Upon every successive execution, the JVM merely uses the already compiled native code to optimize performance.
Without JIT compiler, the JVM interpreter translates the byte-code line-by-line to make it appear as if a native application is being executed.
Source
JIT stands for Just-in-Time which means that code gets compiled when it is needed, not before runtime.
This is beneficial because the compiler can generate code that is optimised for your particular machine. A static compiler, like your average C compiler, will compile all of the code on to executable code on the developer's machine. Hence the compiler will perform optimisations based on some assumptions. It can compile more slowly and do more optimisations because it is not slowing execution of the program for the user.
After the byte code (which is architecture neutral) has been generated by the Java compiler, the execution will be handled by the JVM (in Java). The byte code will be loaded in to JVM by the loader and then each byte instruction is interpreted.
When we need to call a method multiple times, we need to interpret the same code many times and this may take more time than is needed. So we have the JIT (just-in-time) compilers. When the byte has been is loaded in to JVM (its run time), the whole code will be compiled rather than interpreted, thus saving time.
JIT compilers works only during run time, so we do not have any binary output.
A just in time compiler (JIT) is a piece of software which takes receives an non executable input and returns the appropriate machine code to be executed. For example:
Intermediate representation JIT Native machine code for the current CPU architecture
Java bytecode ---> machine code
Javascript (run with V8) ---> machine code
The consequence of this is that for a certain CPU architecture the appropriate JIT compiler must be installed.
Difference compiler, interpreter, and JIT
Although there can be exceptions in general when we want to transform source code into machine code we can use:
Compiler: Takes source code and returns a executable
Interpreter: Executes the program instruction by instruction. It takes an executable segment of the source code and turns that segment into machine instructions. This process is repeated until all source code is transformed into machine instructions and executed.
JIT: Many different implementations of a JIT are possible, however a JIT is usually a combination of a compiler and an interpreter. The JIT first turn intermediary data (e.g. Java bytecode) which it receives into machine language via interpretation. A JIT can often measures when a certain part of the code is executed often and the will compile this part for faster execution.
Just In Time Compiler (JIT) :
It compiles the java bytecodes into machine instructions of that specific CPU.
For example, if we have a loop statement in our java code :
while(i<10){
// ...
a=a+i;
// ...
}
The above loop code runs for 10 times if the value of i is 0.
It is not necessary to compile the bytecode for 10 times again and again as the same instruction is going to execute for 10 times. In that case, it is necessary to compile that code only once and the value can be changed for the required number of times. So, Just In Time (JIT) Compiler keeps track of such statements and methods (as said above before) and compiles such pieces of byte code into machine code for better performance.
Another similar example , is that a search for a pattern using "Regular Expression" in a list of strings/sentences.
JIT Compiler doesn't compile all the code to machine code. It compiles code that have a similar pattern at run time.
See this Oracle documentation on Understand JIT to read more.
You have code that is compliled into some IL (intermediate language). When you run your program, the computer doesn't understand this code. It only understands native code. So the JIT compiler compiles your IL into native code on the fly. It does this at the method level.
I know this is an old thread, but runtime optimization is another important part of JIT compilation that doesn't seemed to be discussed here. Basically, the JIT compiler can monitor the program as it runs to determine ways to improve execution. Then, it can make those changes on the fly - during runtime. Google JIT optimization (javaworld has a pretty good article about it.)
just-in-time (JIT) compilation, (also dynamic translation or run-time compilation), is a way of executing computer code that involves compilation during execution of a program – at run time – rather than prior to execution.
IT compilation is a combination of the two traditional approaches to translation to machine code – ahead-of-time compilation (AOT), and interpretation – and combines some advantages and drawbacks of both. JIT compilation combines the speed of compiled code with the flexibility of interpretation.
Let's consider JIT used in JVM,
For example, the HotSpot JVM JIT compilers generate dynamic optimizations. In other words, they make optimization decisions while the Java application is running and generate high-performing native machine instructions targeted for the underlying system architecture.
When a method is chosen for compilation, the JVM feeds its bytecode to the Just-In-Time compiler (JIT). The JIT needs to understand the semantics and syntax of the bytecode before it can compile the method correctly. To help the JIT compiler analyze the method, its bytecode are first reformulated in an internal representation called trace trees, which resembles machine code more closely than bytecode. Analysis and optimizations are then performed on the trees of the method. At the end, the trees are translated into native code.
A trace tree is a data structure that is used in the runtime compilation of programming code. Trace trees are used in a type of 'just in time compiler' that traces code executing during hotspots and compiles it. Refer this.
Refer :
http://www.oracle.com/webfolder/technetwork/tutorials/obe/java/gc01/index.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-in-time_compilation
A non-JIT compiler takes source code and transforms it into machine specific byte code at compile time. A JIT compiler takes machine agnostic byte code that was generated at compile time and transforms it into machine specific byte code at run time. The JIT compiler that Java uses is what allows a single binary to run on a multitude of platforms without modification.
Jit stands for just in time compiler
jit is a program that turns java byte code into instruction that can be sent directly to the processor.
Using the java just in time compiler (really a second compiler) at the particular system platform complies the bytecode into particular system code,once the code has been re-compiled by the jit complier ,it will usually run more quickly in the computer.
The just-in-time compiler comes with the virtual machine and is used optionally. It compiles the bytecode into platform-specific executable code that is immediately executed.
20% of the byte code is used 80% of the time. The JIT compiler gets these stats and optimizes this 20% of the byte code to run faster by adding inline methods, removal of unused locks etc and also creating the bytecode specific to that machine. I am quoting from this article, I found it was handy. http://java.dzone.com/articles/just-time-compiler-jit-hotspot
Just In Time compiler also known as JIT compiler is used for
performance improvement in Java. It is enabled by default. It is
compilation done at execution time rather earlier.
Java has popularized the use of JIT compiler by including it in
JVM.
JIT refers to execution engine in few of JVM implementations, one that is faster but requires more memory,is a just-in-time compiler. In this scheme, the bytecodes of a method are compiled to native machine code the first time the method is invoked. The native machine code for the method is then cached, so it can be re-used the next time that same method is invoked.
JVM actually performs compilation steps during runtime for performance reasons. This means that Java doesn't have a clean compile-execution separation. It first does a so called static compilation from Java source code to bytecode. Then this bytecode is passed to the JVM for execution. But executing bytecode is slow so the JVM measures how often the bytecode is run and when it detects a "hotspot" of code that's run very frequently it performs dynamic compilation from bytecode to machinecode of the "hotspot" code (hotspot profiler). So effectively today Java programs are run by machinecode execution.