[MLton-devel] teaching a compiler course using MLton

[Stephen Weeks]

> I'd rather not have students directly mimic MLton's compilation
> strategy since I think it's sufficiently different/complex to make
> it infeasible for a first-year grad. course.  Instead, I've been
> thinking of a project along more classical lines:
>
>   -- convert source to CPS (A-normal form)
>   -- implement 0CFA
>   -- flow-directed inlining, uncurrying
>   -- closure conversion
>   -- simple first-order optimizations -- loop-invariance,  common   
>               subexpression, useless argument, ...
>   -- code generation
> 

It looks to me like the major difference from MLton's strategy is that
you put flow-directed inlining before closure conversion.  I suspect
that is harder than putting it after (as MLton does).

> The idea here is that we use the MLton backend for code generation;

I think it would be cooler to have MLton more tightly integrated than
just as a backend.  Here are a couple of ways I see to do this.

1. At the end of each pass, have the students target one of MLton's
ILs, or some suitably sanitized version that you write a translator
for.  This way they can test correctess and real performance impact at
each pass.

2. Focus on adding a language feature (e.g. laziness) and pushing it
all the way through the real compiler.  This way, students can see a
lot, and what they do will have immediate, realistic impact.  Then
look at how various SSA optimizations affect performance.  They can
write a real optimization that affects real programs.

My worry is that if you just do what you propose, there is a lot of
overhead for the students in learning how to work with MLton without a
lot of payoff.

Will most of the students already have had one compiler course?  If
not, then (1) seems better.  If so, then (2) seems better -- there is
no need to have the students implement all the steps of compilation in
detail.  It would probably be more instructive and fun to work on a
real compiler.

Note, I am not saying that (2) should have any research component at
all.


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