Section: Research Program

Scientific Foundations

One of the characteristics of Corse is to base our researches on diverse advanced mathematical tools. Compiler optimization requires the usage of the several tools around discrete mathematics: combinatorial optimization, algorithmic, and graph theory. The aim of Corse is to tackle optimization not only for regular but also for irregular applications. We believe that new challenges in compiler technology design and in particular for split compilation should also take advantage of graph labeling techniques. In addition to run-time and compiler techniques for program instrumentation, hybrid analysis and compilation advances will be mainly based on polynomial and linear algebra.

The other specificity of Corse is to address technical challenges related to compiler technology, run-time systems, and hardware characteristics. This implies mastering the details of each. This is especially important as any optimization is based on a reasonably accurate model. Compiler expertise will be used in modeling applications (e.g. through automatic analysis of memory and computational complexity); Run-time expertise will be used in modeling the concurrent activities and overhead due to contention (including memory management); Hardware expertise will be extensively used in modeling physical resources and hardware mechanisms (including synchronization, pipelines, etc.).

The core foundation of the team is related to the combination of static and dynamic techniques, of compilation, and run-time systems. We believe this to be essential in addressing high-performance and low energy challenges in the context of new important changes shown by current application, software, and architecture trends.

Our project is structured along two main directions. The first direction belongs to the area of run-time systems with the objective of developing strong relations with compilers. The second direction belongs to the area of compiler analysis and optimization with the objective of combining dynamic analysis and optimization with static techniques. The aim of Corse is to ground those two research activities on the development of the end-to-end optimization of some specific domain applications.