In an era of rapid design of microprocessors for desktop systems, embedded systems, and handheld computing devices, the timely construction of systems software is essential. Systems software, such as assemblers, compilers, and debuggers, must be constructed before development of application software for a microprocessor can commence. However, the implementation of such machine-specific applications is difficult and time consuming. Therefore, to remain competitive, it is imperative that systems software designs focus on portability to reduce implementation time and ensure rapid delivery of complete systems to the market. This dissertation presents the Computing System Description Language (CSDL) framework that addresses these rapid development requirements. We illustrate the CSDL framework by developing an instruction-set description component (RTL), an optional procedure calling convention description component (CCL), and the mechanism we use to extend extant descriptions (CSDL). RTL and its accompanying microinstruction descriptions (RTL) further the state-of-the-art in specifying semantics of machine instructions. RTL adds a new type system and abstract syntax that facilitates more accurate specification and automatic detection of errors by RTL manipulators. RTL machine descriptions are also application independent---they completely separate the specification of semantics from the application's implementation. The CCL specification language is the first work to formally describe procedure calling conventions. We demonstrate two distinct uses for CCL descriptions: code generation and fault detection. Using CCL we have built compilers that are more robust, and found and diagnosed faults in production compilers. CCL, RTL, and RTL descriptions are bound together u...

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It is currently difficult fully to understand the performance of a modern dynamic programming language system, such as Java. One must observe execution in the context of specific architectures in order to evaluate the effects of optimizations. To do this we require simulators and compiler back-ends for a wide variety of machines that are capable of handling the demands of today’s dynamically compiled languages and their environments. We introduce here CMDL, a machine description language specifically designed for the automatic generation of simulators and compiler backends. CMDL is a class-based language with a C/Java style syntax aimed at extensibility. CMDL is processed by tools to generate descriptions of architectures represented in an intermediate form; the descriptions are then further combined and processed to produce efficient compiler and simulator components designed to “plug in ” to existing frameworks. CMDL provides the necessary flexibility to advance the simulation paradigm to match the state of the art in computer systems. 1