=head1 NAME Faster - do some things faster =head1 SYNOPSIS use Faster; perl -MFaster ... =head1 DESCRIPTION This module implements a very simple-minded "JIT" (or actually AIT, ahead of time compiler). It works by more or less translating every function it sees into a C program, compiling it and then replacing the function by the compiled code. As a result, startup times are immense, as every function might lead to a full-blown compilation. The speed improvements are also not great, you can expect 20% or so on average, for code that runs very often. The reason for this is that data handling is mostly being done by the same old code, it just gets called a bit faster. Regexes and string operations won't get faster. Airhtmetic doresn't become any faster. Just the operands and other stuff is put on the stack faster, and the opcodes themselves have a bit less overhead. Faster is in the early stages of development. Due to its design its relatively safe to use (it will either work or simply slowdown the program immensely, but rarely cause bugs). More intelligent algorithms (loop optimisation, type inference) could improve that easily, but requires a much more elaborate presentation and optimiser than what is in place. There are no plans to improve Faster in this way, yet, but it would provide a reasonably good place to start. Usage is very easy, just C and every function called from then on will be compiled. Right now, Faster can leave lots of F<*.c> and F<*.so> files in your F<$FASTER_CACHEDIR> (by default F<$HOME/.perl-faster-cache>), and it will even create those temporary files in an insecure manner, so watch out. =over 4 =cut package Faster; no warnings; use strict; use Config; use B (); use DynaLoader (); use Digest::MD5 (); use Storable (); use Fcntl (); BEGIN { our $VERSION = '0.1'; require XSLoader; XSLoader::load __PACKAGE__, $VERSION; } my $CACHEDIR = $ENV{FASTER_CACHE} || (exists $ENV{HOME} && "$ENV{HOME}/.perl-faster-cache") || do { require File::Temp; File::Temp::tempdir (CLEANUP => 1) }; my $COMPILE = "$Config{cc} -c -I$Config{archlibexp}/CORE $Config{optimize} $Config{ccflags} $Config{cccdlflags}"; my $LINK = "$Config{ld} $Config{ldflags} $Config{lddlflags} $Config{ccdlflags}"; my $LIBS = ""; my $_o = $Config{_o}; my $_so = ".so"; # we don't need no steenking PIC on x86 $COMPILE =~ s/-f(?:PIC|pic)//g if $Config{archname} =~ /^(i[3456]86)-/; my $opt_assert = $ENV{FASTER_DEBUG} & 2; my $verbose = $ENV{FASTER_VERBOSE}+0; warn "Faster: CACHEDIR is $CACHEDIR\n" if $verbose > 2; our $source; our @ops; our $insn; our $op; our $op_name; our %op_regcomp; # ops that cause immediate return to the interpreter my %f_unsafe = map +($_ => undef), qw( leavesub leavesublv return goto last redo next eval flip leaveeval entertry formline grepstart mapstart substcont entereval require ); # ops with known stack extend behaviour # the values given are maximum values my %extend = ( pushmark => 0, nextstate => 0, # might reduce the stack unstack => 0, enter => 0, stringify => 0, not => 0, and => 0, or => 0, gvsv => 0, rv2gv => 0, preinc => 0, predec => 0, postinc => 0, postdec => 0, aelem => 0, helem => 0, qr => 1, #??? pushre => 1, gv => 1, aelemfast => 1, aelem => 0, padsv => 1, const => 1, pop => 1, shift => 1, eq => -1, ne => -1, gt => -1, lt => -1, ge => -1, lt => -1, cond_expr => -1, add => -1, subtract => -1, multiply => -1, divide => -1, aassign => 0, sassign => -2, method => 0, method_named => 1, ); # ops that do not need an ASYNC_CHECK my %f_noasync = map +($_ => undef), qw( mapstart grepstart match entereval enteriter entersub leaveloop pushmark nextstate caller const stub unstack last next redo goto seq padsv padav padhv padany aassign sassign orassign rv2av rv2cv rv2gv rv2hv refgen gv gvsv add subtract multiply divide complement cond_expr and or not bit_and bit_or bit_xor defined method method_named bless preinc postinc predec postdec aelem aelemfast helem delete exists pushre subst list lslice join split concat length substr stringify ord push pop shift unshift eq ne gt lt ge le regcomp regcreset regcmaybe ); my %callop = ( entersub => "(PL_op->op_ppaddr) (aTHX)", mapstart => "Perl_pp_grepstart (aTHX)", ); sub callop { $callop{$op_name} || "Perl_pp_$op_name (aTHX)" } sub assert { return unless $opt_assert; $source .= " assert ((\"$op_name\", ($_[0])));\n"; } sub out_callop { assert "nextop == (OP *)$$op"; $source .= " PL_op = nextop; nextop = " . (callop $op) . ";\n"; } sub out_jump { assert "nextop == (OP *)${$_[0]}L"; $source .= " goto op_${$_[0]};\n"; } sub out_cond_jump { $source .= " if (nextop == (OP *)${$_[0]}L) goto op_${$_[0]};\n"; } sub out_jump_next { out_cond_jump $op_regcomp{$$op} if $op_regcomp{$$op}; assert "nextop == (OP *)${$op->next}"; $source .= " goto op_${$op->next};\n"; } sub out_next { $source .= " nextop = (OP *)${$op->next}L;\n"; out_jump_next; } sub out_linear { out_callop; out_jump_next; } sub op_entersub { out_callop; $source .= " RUNOPS_TILL ((OP *)${$op->next}L);\n"; out_jump_next; } *op_require = \&op_entersub; sub op_nextstate { $source .= " PL_curcop = (COP *)nextop;\n"; $source .= " PL_stack_sp = PL_stack_base + cxstack[cxstack_ix].blk_oldsp;\n"; $source .= " FREETMPS;\n"; out_next; } sub op_pushmark { $source .= " faster_PUSHMARK (PL_stack_sp);\n"; out_next; } if ($Config{useithreads} ne "define") { # disable optimisations on ithreads *op_const = sub { $source .= " { dSP; PUSHs ((SV *)${$op->sv}L); PUTBACK; }\n"; $ops[0]{follows_const}++ if @ops;#d# out_next; }; *op_gv = \&op_const; *op_aelemfast = sub { my $targ = $op->targ; my $private = $op->private; $source .= " {\n"; if ($op->flags & B::OPf_SPECIAL) { $source .= " AV *av = (AV*)PAD_SV((PADOFFSET)$targ);\n"; } else { $source .= " AV *av = GvAV ((GV *)${$op->sv}L);\n"; } if ($op->flags & B::OPf_MOD) { $source .= " SV *sv = *av_fetch (av, $private, 1);\n"; } else { $source .= " SV **svp = av_fetch (av, $private, 0); SV *sv = svp ? *svp : &PL_sv_undef;\n"; } if (!($op->flags & B::OPf_MOD)) { $source .= " if (SvGMAGICAL (sv)) sv = sv_mortalcopy (sv);\n"; } $source .= " dSP;\n"; $source .= " PUSHs (sv);\n"; $source .= " PUTBACK;\n"; $source .= " }\n"; out_next; }; *op_gvsv = sub { $source .= " {\n"; $source .= " dSP;\n"; if ($op->private & B::OPpLVAL_INTRO) { $source .= " PUSHs (save_scalar ((GV *)${$op->sv}L));\n"; } else { $source .= " PUSHs (GvSV ((GV *)${$op->sv}L));\n"; } $source .= " PUTBACK;\n"; $source .= " }\n"; out_next; }; } # does kill Crossfire/res2pm sub op_stringify { my $targ = $op->targ; $source .= <other}L; goto op_${$op->other}; } } EOF out_next; } sub op_or { $source .= <other}L; goto op_${$op->other}; } } EOF out_next; } sub op_padsv { my $flags = $op->flags; my $padofs = "(PADOFFSET)" . $op->targ; $source .= <private & B::OPpLVAL_INTRO)) { $source .= " SAVECLEARSV (PAD_SVl ($padofs));\n"; $ops[0]{follows_padsv_lval_intro}++ if @ops;#d# } $source .= <private & B::OPpDEREF)) { $source .= " if (!SvROK (sv)) vivify_ref (sv, " . $op->private . " & OPpDEREF);\n"; } $source .= " }\n"; out_next; } sub op_sassign { $source .= <private & B::OPpASSIGN_BACKWARDS; if ($insn->{follows_padsv_lval_intro} && !($op->private & B::OPpASSIGN_BACKWARDS)) { # simple assignment - the target exists, but is basically undef $source .= " SvSetSV (right, left);\n"; } else { $source .= " SvSetMagicSV (right, left);\n"; } $source .= <{follows_const}) { $source .= <next; out_cond_jump $op->other; out_jump_next; } *op_mapstart = \&op_grepstart; sub op_substcont { out_callop; out_cond_jump $op->other->pmreplstart; assert "nextop == (OP *)${$op->other->next}L"; $source .= " goto op_${$op->other->next};\n"; } sub out_break_op { my ($idx) = @_; if ($op->flags & B::OPf_SPECIAL && $insn->{loop}) { # common case: no label, innermost loop only my $next = $insn->{loop}{loop_targ}[$idx]; out_callop; out_jump $next; } elsif (my $loop = $insn->{loop}) { # less common case: maybe break to some outer loop $source .= " return nextop;\n"; # todo: walk stack up } else { # fuck yourself for writing such hacks $source .= " return nextop;\n"; } } sub op_next { out_break_op 0; } sub op_last { out_break_op 1; } # TODO: does not seem to work #sub op_redo { # out_break_op 2; #} sub cv2c { my ($cv) = @_; local @ops; local %op_regcomp; my $curloop; my @todo = $cv->START; my %op_target; my $numpushmark; my $scope; my %op_seen; while (my $op = shift @todo) { my $next; for (; $$op; $op = $next) { last if $op_seen{$$op}++; $next = $op->next; my $name = $op->name; my $class = B::class $op; my $insn = { op => $op }; # end of loop reached? $curloop = $curloop->{loop} if $curloop && $$op == ${$curloop->{loop_targ}[1]}; # remember enclosing loop $insn->{loop} = $curloop if $curloop; push @ops, $insn; if (exists $extend{$name}) { my $extend = $extend{$name}; $extend = $extend->($op) if ref $extend; $insn->{extend} = $extend if defined $extend; } # TODO: mark scopes similar to loops, make them comparable # static cxstack(?) if ($class eq "LOGOP") { push @todo, $op->other; $op_target{${$op->other}}++; # regcomp/o patches ops at runtime, lets expect that if ($name eq "regcomp" && $op->other->pmflags & B::PMf_KEEP) { $op_target{${$op->first}}++; $op_regcomp{${$op->first}} = $op->next; } } elsif ($class eq "PMOP") { if (${$op->pmreplstart}) { unshift @todo, $op->pmreplstart; $op_target{${$op->pmreplstart}}++; } } elsif ($class eq "LOOP") { my @targ = ($op->nextop, $op->lastop->next, $op->redoop); unshift @todo, $next, $op->redoop, $op->nextop, $op->lastop; $next = $op->redoop; $op_target{$$_}++ for @targ; $insn->{loop_targ} = \@targ; $curloop = $insn; } elsif ($class eq "COP") { if (defined $op->label) { $insn->{bblock}++; $curloop->{contains_label}{$op->label}++ if $curloop; #TODO: should be within loop } } else { if ($name eq "pushmark") { $numpushmark++; } } } } $_->{bblock}++ for grep $op_target{${$_->{op}}}, @ops; local $source = <{op}}L; EOF $source .= " faster_PUSHMARK_PREALLOC ($numpushmark);\n" if $numpushmark; while (@ops) { $insn = shift @ops; $op = $insn->{op}; $op_name = $op->name; my $class = B::class $op; $source .= "\n/* start basic block */\n" if exists $insn->{bblock};#d# $source .= "op_$$op: /* $op_name */\n"; #$source .= "fprintf (stderr, \"$$op in op $op_name\\n\");\n";#d# #$source .= "{ dSP; sv_dump (TOPs); }\n";#d# $source .= " PERL_ASYNC_CHECK ();\n" unless exists $f_noasync{$op_name}; if (my $can = __PACKAGE__->can ("op_$op_name")) { # handcrafted replacement if ($insn->{extend} > 0) { # coalesce EXTENDs # TODO: properly take negative preceeding and following EXTENDs into account for my $i (@ops) { last if exists $i->{bblock}; last unless exists $i->{extend}; my $extend = delete $i->{extend}; $insn->{extend} += $extend if $extend > 0; } $source .= " { dSP; EXTEND (SP, $insn->{extend}); PUTBACK; }\n" if $insn->{extend} > 0; } $can->($op); } elsif (exists $f_unsafe{$op_name}) { # unsafe, return to interpreter assert "nextop == (OP *)$$op"; $source .= " return nextop;\n"; } elsif ("LOGOP" eq $class) { # logical operation with optional branch out_callop; out_cond_jump $op->other; out_jump_next; } elsif ("PMOP" eq $class) { # regex-thingy out_callop; out_cond_jump $op->pmreplroot if $op_name ne "pushre" && ${$op->pmreplroot}; out_jump_next; } else { # normal operator, linear execution out_linear; } } $op_name = "func exit"; assert (0); $source .= < 1 }; for my $f (@func) { $f->{func} = "F" . Digest::MD5::md5_hex ($f->{source}); $f->{so} = $meta->{$f->{func}}; } if (grep !$_->{so}, @func) { my $stem; do { $stem = "$CACHEDIR/$$-" . $uid++; } while -e "$stem$_so"; open my $fh, ">:raw", "$stem.c"; print $fh < #include "EXTERN.h" #include "perl.h" #include "XSUB.h" #if 1 # define faster_PUSHMARK_PREALLOC(count) while (PL_markstack_ptr + (count) >= PL_markstack_max) markstack_grow () # define faster_PUSHMARK(p) *++PL_markstack_ptr = (p) - PL_stack_base #else # define faster_PUSHMARK_PREALLOC(count) 1 # define faster_PUSHMARK(p) PUSHMARK(p) #endif #define RUNOPS_TILL(op) \\ while (nextop != (op)) \\ { \\ PERL_ASYNC_CHECK (); \\ PL_op = nextop; nextop = (PL_op->op_ppaddr)(aTHX); \\ } EOF for my $f (grep !$_->{so}, @func) { next if $f->{so} = $meta->{$f->{func}}; # some cv's alias others warn "compiling $f->{name} to $stem$_so:$f->{func}\n" if $verbose > 1; my $source = $f->{source}; $source =~ s/%%%FUNC%%%/$f->{func}/g; print $fh $source; $meta->{$f->{func}} = $f->{so} = $stem; } close $fh; system "$COMPILE -o $stem$_o $stem.c"; unlink "$stem.c" unless $ENV{FASTER_DEBUG} & 1; system "$LINK -o $stem$_so $stem$_o $LIBS"; unlink "$stem$_o"; } for my $f (@func) { my $stem = $f->{so}; my $so = ($so{$stem} ||= DynaLoader::dl_load_file "$stem$_so") or die "$stem$_so: $!"; #unlink "$stem$_so"; $f->{ptr} = DynaLoader::dl_find_symbol $so, $f->{func} or die "$f->{func} not found in $stem$_so: $!"; } seek $meta_fh, 0, 0 or die "$CACHEDIR/meta: $!"; Storable::nstore_fd $meta, $meta_fh; truncate $meta_fh, tell $meta_fh; # UNLOCK (by closing $meta_fh) } my %ignore; sub entersub { my ($cv) = @_; my $pkg = $cv->STASH->NAME; return if $ignore{$pkg}; warn "optimising ", $cv->STASH->NAME, "\n" if $verbose; eval { my @func; push @func, { cv => $cv, name => "<>", source => cv2c $cv, }; # always compile the whole stash my %stash = $cv->STASH->ARRAY; while (my ($k, $v) = each %stash) { $v->isa (B::GV::) or next; my $cv = $v->CV; if ($cv->isa (B::CV::) && ${$cv->START} && $cv->START->name ne "null") { push @func, { cv => $cv, name => $k, source => cv2c $cv, }; } } func2ptr @func; for my $f (@func) { patch_cv $f->{cv}, $f->{ptr}; } }; if ($@) { $ignore{$pkg}++; warn $@; } } hook_entersub; 1; =back =head1 ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES The following environment variables influence the behaviour of Faster: =over 4 =item FASTER_VERBOSE Faster will output more informational messages when set to values higher than C<0>. Currently, C<1> outputs which packages are being compiled, C<3> outputs the cache directory and C<10> outputs information on which perl function is compiled into which shared object. =item FASTER_DEBUG Add debugging code when set to values higher than C<0>. Currently, this adds 1-3 C's per perl op (FASTER_DEBUG > 1), to ensure that opcode order and C execution order are compatible. =item FASTER_CACHE Set a persistent cache directory that caches compiled code fragments. The default is C<$HOME/.perl-faster-cache> if C is set and a temporary directory otherwise. This directory will always grow in size, so you might need to erase it from time to time. =back =head1 BUGS/LIMITATIONS Perl will check much less often for asynchronous signals in Faster-compiled code. It tries to check on every function call, loop iteration and every I/O operator, though. The following things will disable Faster. If you manage to enable them at runtime, bad things will happen. Enabling them at startup will be fine, though. enabled tainting enabled debugging Thread-enabled builds of perl will dramatically reduce Faster's performance, but you don't care about speed if you enable threads anyway. These constructs will force the use of the interpreter for the currently executed function as soon as they are being encountered during execution. goto next, redo (but not well-behaved last's) labels, if used eval require any use of formats .., ... (flipflop operators) =head1 AUTHOR Marc Lehmann http://home.schmorp.de/ =cut