Abstract

We show that compiler optimisations based on strictness analysis can be expressed formally in the functional framework using continuations. This formal presentation has two benefits: it allows us to give a rigorous correctness proof of the optimised compiler; and it exposes the various optimisations made possible by a strictness analysis. These benefits are especially significant in the presence of partially evaluated data structures. 1 Introduction Realistic compilers for imperative or functional languages include a number of optimisations based on non-trivial global analyses. Proving the correctness of such optimising compilers should involve three steps: 1. proving the correctness of the original (unoptimised) compiler; 2. proving the correctness of the analysis; and 3. proving the correctness of the modifications of the simple-minded compiler to exploit the results of the analysis. A substantial amount of work has been devoted to steps (1) and (2) but there has been surprisingly ...

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