EPIC - a retargetable, highly optimizing Lisp compiler

Abstract

The Experimental Portable Standard Lisp Compiler (EPIC) is a compiler testbed for experimentation with, and development of, Lisp compilation strategies. EPIC uses an architectural description of the target machine to increase portability, and performs extensive optimizations in the form of source-tosource transformations, register allocation, and peephole optimization. It introduces machine-specific instructions early to enable machine-specific optimizations in the initial passes. EPIC produces better code than the original Portable Standard Lisp compiler, has an improved portability model, and is easier to maintain.

A logical approach to program analysis

“…They are similar to the abstract syntax graphs that modern compilers generate [10,11], containing information about the lexical structure of the code, its control and data flow characteristics, data types, and other related information. They are similar to the abstract syntax graphs that modern compilers generate [10,11], containing information about the lexical structure of the code, its control and data flow characteristics, data types, and other related information.…”