Post-Link Optimization Technology
Post-link optimization algorithms perform global analysis on the entire executable file (including statically linked library code) and complement the compiler's optimizations. Since the executable file to be optimized will not be re-linked, the compiler and linker conventions do not need to be preserved, thus allowing aggressive optimizations that are not available to optimizing compilers. The challenge of post-link optimizers laysin the fact that post-link code is less informative, yet it is very large compared to a single compilation unit. Therefore, a mechanism that allows one to perform a light-weight and aggressive optimizations in the face of incomplete information is valuable.
We will present a profile-based post-link optimization tool called FDPR (Feedback Directed Program Restructuring). The general operation of FDPR will be described along with some of its latest optimizations.