Explicit Software Speculation for Dynamic Language Runtimes

I demonstrate that explicit speculation improves the performance of dynamic language implementations on existing managed runtimes by speculatively executing dynamic language code with a common case interpretation of the language semantics. I implement a variety of optimizations at a high level, maintaining correct execution without requiring the sophisticated static analysis, language-specific runtime profiling infrastructure or potentially intricate, low-level recovery code that would be otherwise necessary. In addition, I explore how explicit speculation can guarantee speculative optimization correctness in an unmanaged dynamic language runtime by utilizing additional hardware support for fine-grain memory protection.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Computer Science

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Riley, Nicholas J.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Zilles, Craig

• Computer Science

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3363075

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/81856