# compilers Compilers are programs that translate source code in programming languages into object code or machine language executable by a computer. This is one page of public article previews, not the complete archive. Follow Next page to continue. Summaries are not the original full articles. ## How to Take an 11 Month Sabbatical DevFeed: [How to Take an 11 Month Sabbatical]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Zac Sweers Published: 2026-06-29T05:54:30Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Zac Sweers]() Topics: [Programming](), [Slack](), [compilers](), [Algorithms, Complexity]() Tags: [2025](), [algorithms](), [compilers](), [slack](), [work]() ### AI overview The author reflects on leaving Slack after nearly six years to take an 11-month sabbatical. During the break, they focused on running, open-source work on Metro, fostering dogs, travel, and revisiting subjects such as compilers and algorithms through practical projects. ### Source excerpt A sequel to the last one, but a bit longer. On Leaving Slack After nearly 6 years, I left Slack in August of 2025. It was for a combination of reasons that added up to "it's time". The biggest reason was that Salesforce (who acquired Slack ## Integer Set Library (ISL) - A Primer DevFeed: [Integer Set Library (ISL) - A Primer]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2025-10-19T20:14:22Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Jeremy Kun]() Topics: [Library](), [Optimization](), [compilers](), [Open Source](), [mlir]() Tags: [code](), [compilers](), [isl](), [library](), [loops](), [mathematics](), [mlir](), [open-source](), [optimization](), [polyhedral-optimization](), [programming](), [set-theory]() ### AI overview This primer introduces the Integer Set Library (ISL), an open-source C library that implements core algorithms for polyhedral optimization. It focuses on representing integer sets and relations, manipulating them, and the relationship between ISL and MLIR's Fast Presburger Library. ### Source excerpt Polyhedral optimization is a tool used in compilers for optimizing loop nests. While the major compilers that use this implement polyhedral optimizations from scratch,1 there is a generally-applicable open source C library called the Integer Set Library (ISL) that implements the core algorithms used in polyhedral optimization. This article gives an overview of a subset of ISL, mainly focusing on the representation of sets and relations and basic manipulations on them. ## NixOS 24.11 released DevFeed: [NixOS 24.11 released]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: NixOS Published: 2024-11-30T11:00:00Z Content type: release Language: en Sources: [NixOS Announcements]() Topics: [Linux](), [releases](), [version](), [modules](), [compilers]() Tags: [2025](), [features](), [gcc](), [linux](), [llvm](), [maintainers](), [nixos](), [release](), [release-notes](), [version]() ### AI overview The article announces the stable release of NixOS 24.11, code-named Vicuña. It describes contributor activity, package and module changes, updates to GNOME and Plasma, improved Darwin support in Nixpkgs, and LLVM 19 updates. ### Source excerpt Hello everyone, we are Tristan Ross and Weijia Wang, the release managers for the newest release of NixOS known as NixOS 24.11 Vicuña. We're glad to announce that after the additional week-long delay that we can deliver this stable release of NixOS. NixOS is a Linux distribution, whose set of packages can also be used on other Linux systems and macOS. This release will receive bugfixes and security updates for seven months (up until 2025-06-31). Release manual Highlights New Services Backward Incompatibilities Other Notable Changes Upgrade Instructions ISO Image Downloads The 24.11 release was made possible due to the efforts of 2669 contributors, who authored 49079 commits since the previous release. Our thanks go the contributors who also take care of the continued stability and security of our stable release. NixOS is already known as the most up to date distribution while also being the distribution with the most packages. This release saw 8141 new packages and 20975 updated packages in Nixpkgs. We also removed 3970 packages in an effort to keep the package set maintainable and secure. In addition to packages the NixOS distribution also features modules and tests that make it what it is. This release brought 119 new modules and removed 30. In that process we added 1706 options and removed 556. GNOME 47 GNOME has been updated to version 47 "Denver", which introduces accent colors, small screen support, screen capture hardware encoding, and more changes. Refer to the release notes for more details. Plasma 6 Plasma has been updated to version 6.2, which introduces many bug fixed and other changes. Refer to the release notes for more details. Darwin Rework Emily, Randy Eckenrode, and toonn did an amazing job with their work as the Darwin core maintainers to bring better support for Darwin into Nixpkgs. A comprehensive list of changes can be found on the NixOS Discourse under "The Darwin SDKs have been updated". C Compilers LLVM has been updated to version 19 and GCC ## 30 Years of Decompilation and the Unsolved Structuring Problem: Part 2 DevFeed: [30 Years of Decompilation and the Unsolved Structuring Problem: Part 2]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2024-01-10T00:00:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [mahaloz.re]() Topics: [Programming](), [compilers](), [phoenix]() Tags: [compilers](), [deep-dive](), [ida](), [ida-pro](), [phoenix](), [research](), [security](), [technical]() ### AI overview Part 2 of a history of decompiler research examines modern control-flow structuring techniques, their limitations, and possible future directions. It reviews four papers from the past 11 years, including Phoenix, and places them in the context of security, compiler, static-analysis, and programming-language research. ### Source excerpt A two-part series on the history of decompiler research and the fight against the unsolved control flow structuring problem. In part 1, we revisit the history of foundational decompilers and techniques, concluding on a look at modern works. In part 2, we deep-dive into the fundamentals of modern control flow structuring techniques, and their limitations, and look to the future. ## Why Do Peephole Optimizations Work? DevFeed: [Why Do Peephole Optimizations Work?]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: regehr Published: 2023-11-01T16:23:20Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Embedded in Academia]() Topics: [Optimization](), [compilers](), [LLVM](), [Code]() Tags: [code](), [compilers](), [execution](), [llvm](), [optimization](), [reduce](), [uncategorized]() ### AI overview The article explains why peephole optimizations work in modern compilers. It contrasts local instruction rewrites with transformations over SSA-based intermediate representations and discusses correctness in terms of observable behavior and refinement. ### Source excerpt In its original form, a peephole optimization applied to a collection of instructions located close together in a program. For example, in a register transfer language we might find this sequence of instructions: r0 = xor r8, -1 r1 = xor r9, -1 r0 = and r0, r1 Here, assuming the two's complement representation, -1 [...] ## How SerenityOS declares ssize\_t DevFeed: [How SerenityOS declares ssize\_t]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Andreas Kling Published: 2023-04-04T00:00:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Andreas Kling]() Topics: [C](), [POSIX](), [Operating system](), [compilers](), [standard](), [Library]() Tags: [c](), [compilers](), [cpp](), [libraries](), [library](), [posix](), [serenityos](), [standard](), [technical](), [unix]() ### AI overview This article explains how SerenityOS declares ssize_t using a C preprocessor macro technique. It contrasts the approach with more architecture-specific declarations commonly used by other C libraries and notes the limitations of the hack. ### Source excerpt This post explores one of my favorite hacks in SerenityOS. I don't recommend doing this in your codebase, but it has worked for us so far. :^) ## Supporter spotlight: David A. Wheeler on supply chain security DevFeed: [Supporter spotlight: David A. Wheeler on supply chain security]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2022-12-15T12:00:00Z Content type: news Language: en Sources: [reproducible-builds.org]() Topics: [supply-chain-security](), [Security](), [reproducible builds](), [linux foundation](), [open-source-security](), [Open Source](), [compilers]() Tags: [compilers](), [linux](), [linux-foundation](), [open-source-security](), [org](), [reproducible-builds](), [security](), [software](), [supply-chain-security]() ### AI overview An interview with David A. Wheeler, the Linux Foundation's Director of Open Source Supply Chain Security, about improving security across open source software development, builds, distribution, and use. It also discusses reproducible builds and Diverse Double-Compiling as a way to detect trusting trust attacks. ### Source excerpt The Reproducible Builds project relies on several projects, supporters and sponsors for financial support, but they are also valued as ambassadors who spread the word about our project and the work that we do. This is the sixth instalment in a series featuring the projects, companies and individuals who support the Reproducible Builds project. We started this series by featuring the Civil Infrastructure Platform project and followed this up with a post about the Ford Foundation as well as a recent ones about ARDC, the Google Open Source Security Team (GOSST), Jan Nieuwenhuizen on Bootstrappable Builds, GNU Mes and GNU Guix and Hans-Christoph Steiner of the F-Droid project. Today, however, we will be talking with David A. Wheeler, the Director of Open Source Supply Chain Security at the Linux Foundation. Holger Levsen: Welcome, David, thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. First, could you briefly tell me about yourself? David: Sure! I'm David A. Wheeler and I work for the Linux Foundation as the Director of Open Source Supply Chain Security. That just means that my job is to help open source software projects improve their security, including its development, build, distribution, and incorporation in larger works, all the way out to its eventual use by end-users. In my copious free time I also teach at George Mason University (GMU); in particular, I teach a graduate course on how to design and implement secure software. My background is technical. I have a Bachelor's in Electronics Engineering, a Master's in Computer Science and a PhD in Information Technology. My PhD dissertation is connected to reproducible builds. My PhD dissertation was on countering the 'Trusting Trust' attack, an attack that subverts fundamental build system tools such as compilers. The attack was discovered by Karger & Schell in the 1970s, and later demonstrated & popularized by Ken Thompson. In my dissertation on 'trusting trust' I showed that a process called 'Diverse Double-Comp ## llvm-reduce DevFeed: [llvm-reduce]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: regehr Published: 2021-05-13T16:58:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Embedded in Academia]() Topics: [LLVM](), [compilers](), [debugging]() Tags: [automated](), [compilers](), [debugging](), [fuzzing](), [llvm](), [uncategorized]() ### AI overview This article explains llvm-reduce, an LLVM tool for automatically reducing LLVM IR test cases. It describes its modular reduction passes, interestingness tests, LLVM-specific transformations, compatibility with C-Reduce, and inclusion in LLVM. ### Source excerpt Test-case reduction is more or less a necessity when debugging failures of complex programs such as compilers. Automated test-case reduction is useful not only because it allows developers to avoid wasting time reducing inputs by hand, but also because it supports new techniques such as automatically triaging bulk failures seen in the field or during [...] ## Introduction to TurboFan DevFeed: [Introduction to TurboFan]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jeremy "\_\_x86" Fetiveau Published: 2019-01-28T16:00:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Diary of a reverse-engineer]() Topics: [JavaScript](), [V8](), [JIT](), [Exploit](), [compilers](), [debug](), [Linux](), [browser]() Tags: [browser](), [bytecode](), [chromium](), [compilers](), [exploit](), [exploitation](), [introduction](), [javascript](), [jit](), [turbofan](), [v8]() ### AI overview A tutorial on V8's TurboFan optimizing JIT compiler. It explains the sea-of-nodes structure, shows how to build V8 and use its d8 shell and Turbolizer, and examines a vulnerable optimization pass from Google's CTF 2018 before developing an exploit. ### Source excerpt Introduction Ages ago I wrote a blog post here called first dip in the kernel pool, this year we're going to swim in a sea of nodes! The current trend is to attack JavaScript engines and more specifically, optimizing JIT compilers such as V8's TurboFan, SpiderMonkey's IonMonkey, JavaScriptCore's Data ... ## Modern C++ for C Programmers: part 1 DevFeed: [Modern C++ for C Programmers: part 1]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2018-06-13T19:04:19Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Bert Hubert's writings]() Topics: [C++](), [C](), [Programming](), [compilers](), [Sorting](), [parallel]() Tags: [c](), [c-plus-plus](), [compilers](), [exceptions](), [notes](), [parallel](), [programming](), [programming-language](), [sorting]() ### AI overview Part 1 of a tutorial series introduces Modern C++ for C programmers. It explains the close relationship between C and C++, discusses C++'s zero-overhead principle and exception-related overhead, and presents a comparison involving C sorting, C++ sorting, and C++17 parallel sorting. ### Source excerpt Welcome to part 1 of Modern C++ for C Programmers, please see the introduction for the goals and context of this series. In this part we start with C++ features that you can use to spice up your code 'line by line', without immediately having to use all 1400 pages of 'The C++ Programming Language'. Various code samples discussed here can be found on GitHub. Relation between C and C++ C and C++ are actually very close relatives, to the point that many compilers have unified infrastructure for both languages. ## Let's Build A Simple Interpreter. Part 13: Semantic Analysis. DevFeed: [Let's Build A Simple Interpreter. Part 13: Semantic Analysis.]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Ruslan Spivak Published: 2017-04-27T05:00:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Ruslan Spivak]() Topics: [syntax](), [Parsing](), [Parser](), [compilers](), [context]() Tags: [blog](), [compilers](), [errors](), [parsing](), [separate](), [syntax](), [types]() ### AI overview This tutorial explains semantic analysis in interpreters and compilers. It shows why grammatically correct Pascal programs can still contain errors, and how an abstract syntax tree, symbol table, and separate semantic-analysis phase can detect issues such as using undeclared variables. ### Source excerpt Anything worth doing is worth overdoing. Before doing a deep dive into the topic of scopes, I'd like to make a "quick" detour and talk in more detail about symbols, symbol tables, and semantic analysis. In the spirit of "Anything worth doing is worth overdoing", I hope you'll ... ## From ASM.JS to WebAssembly DevFeed: [From ASM.JS to WebAssembly]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Brendan Eich Published: 2015-06-17T09:04:55Z Content type: release Language: en Sources: [Brendan Eich]() Topics: [WebAssembly](), [compilers](), [ECMAScript](), [Assembly](), [Programming]() Tags: [assembly](), [blog-post](), [compilers](), [js](), [mozilla](), [uncategorized](), [webassembly]() ### AI overview The article announces that cross-browser work has begun on WebAssembly, a new binary syntax and intermediate representation for safe Web code. Initially co-expressive with asm.js, WebAssembly is intended to become a common object-level format for multiple source-level programming languages while retaining JavaScript-based polyfilling during the transition. ### Source excerpt tl;dr I'm burying the lede with context and catch-up material first, so impatient or already-clued-in readers should skip to below the videos for today's big news. Or just read Luke Wagner's blog post right now. My Fluent 2015 "ECMAScript Harmony: Rise of the Compilers" talk given on April 21st: Jeremy Ashkenas picked up this ball ... Continue reading "From ASM.JS to WebAssembly" ## (How to Write a (Lisp) Interpreter (in Python)) DevFeed: [(How to Write a (Lisp) Interpreter (in Python))]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2010-09-30T00:00:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Peter Norvig]() Topics: [Lisp](), [Python](), [Programming](), [scheme](), [compilers]() Tags: [compilers](), [how-to](), [interpreter](), [lisp](), [programming-languages](), [python](), [semantics](), [syntax]() ### AI overview This tutorial explains how to implement computer-language interpreters in general and presents Lispy, an interpreter for most of Scheme written in Python 3. It introduces Scheme syntax and semantics and compares its simplicity with Java and Python. ### Source excerpt A Lisp interpreter in 90 lines of Python