Lambda the Ultimate

inactiveTopic Compilation of Functional Programming Languages using GCC -- Tail Calls
started 6/29/2003; 12:15:26 PM - last post 6/29/2003; 12:15:26 PM
Anton van Straaten - Compilation of Functional Programming Languages using GCC -- Tail Calls  blueArrow
6/29/2003; 12:15:26 PM (reads: 1642, responses: 0)
Compilation of Functional Programming Languages using GCC -- Tail Calls
This master's thesis by Andreas Bauer covers the state of the art in compiling functional languages using the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC), with particular reference to the Glasgow Haskell Compiler (GHC). Here's a summary of the abstract, edited for brevity:

Explains the difficulty of implementing proper tail call support in a C compiler. Discusses approaches to overcoming this problem in GCC, so that functional language front ends like GHC, which use GCC, gain a greater amount of flexibility. Shows a connection between current C compiler constraints affecting tail calls, and early Unix design decisions. Examines broader issues surrounding the GCC project in general.

This ambitious, 120-page paper could be summarized as "all you ever wanted to know about compiling functional languages using GCC but were afraid to ask".

Posted to implementation by Anton van Straaten on 6/29/03; 12:23:45 PM