Host-Device Code Generation with Linker-Based Dead Code Pruning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dead code in heterogeneous computing environments, which is never executed and consumes memory and resources, is not efficiently identified and removed, leading to inefficiencies and resource wastage.
Innovation Solution
A method to generate reference information for code elements in host code and use this information to prune dead code from device code, using linkers to ensure only referenced code elements are included in the device code, thereby optimizing compilation and execution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all code elements are included in device code, then completeness is maintained, but dead code accumulates wasting memory and resources
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of host code to generate reference information about code elements before compiling device code. This advance preparation enables the linker to identify and exclude dead code elements from device code, preventing resource waste while maintaining necessary code completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
Reference information acts as an intermediary between host code and device code compilation processes. This intermediate data structure contains metadata about code element references, enabling the linker to make informed decisions about which code elements to include or exclude from device code without direct analysis of the actual code execution.
2Ease of manufacture
If dead code is not removed, then compilation is simpler, but execution efficiency decreases due to resource consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary generation of reference information during the compilation process, enabling dead code elimination to occur as a natural byproduct of the compilation workflow. This approach maintains compilation simplicity while achieving execution efficiency improvements through automated dead code identification and removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The compilation system automatically generates reference information and performs dead code elimination without requiring manual intervention. The linker uses the generated reference information to self-determine which code elements are dead and should be excluded, making the process autonomous and integration-friendly.
3Productivity
If reference information generation is added to the compilation process, then dead code elimination improves, but compilation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system generates reference information as a preliminary step during compilation using cached metadata from host code analysis. By preparing this information in advance and reusing it during device code compilation, the system achieves effective dead code elimination while minimizing the time penalty through efficient information generation and caching strategies.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a copied representation of reference information from host code metadata and stores it in a cache. This copied data structure can be quickly retrieved and used during device code compilation without requiring repeated analysis of the original host code, significantly reducing compilation time while maintaining dead code elimination effectiveness.
4Loss of time
If reference information is cached for future use, then subsequent compilations are faster, but memory consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential reference information from host code and stores it in a cache for future use. By selectively caching only the metadata necessary for dead code elimination rather than entire code structures, the system achieves faster subsequent compilations while keeping memory consumption manageable through selective extraction and storage of critical information.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatuses, systems, and techniques to generate code to be performed by one or more first processors based, at least in part, on one or more indications of data to be used by one or more second processors. In at least one embodiment, a CUDA program includes host code and device code, and a linker uses references for code elements in host code to link or prune code elements from device code.