ITR Collaborative Research: A Reusable, Extensible, Optimizing Back End

计算机程序是用高级编程语言编写的，但要运行，它必须被翻译成机器语言。翻译器很难构建，而且成本很高，使用今天的技术，每种编程语言都需要自己的翻译器。 例如，几乎不可能对Java和C++使用相同的翻译器。 该项目正在开发一种技术，通过这种技术，一个能理解机器语言的"后端“可以为许多不同的"前端”服务，而每个前端都能理解不同的编程语言。将这样的前端和后端结合起来，就可以生产出一个比现在便宜得多的翻译器。 主要的新想法是使用 * 三个 * 接口。 C语言是一种接口，它使前端能够告诉后端程序应该做什么。 C-运行时接口揭示了后端做出的决定，这样前端就可以支持垃圾收集和线程等服务。Cobalt语言是一个接口，它使前端能够告诉后端在特定语言中需要什么特殊的翻译技术来提高效率。 这些接口由新的自动技术支持，用于消除翻译中的潜在错误。

A computer program is written in a high-level *programming* *language*,but to be run, it must be translated into a *machine* *language*.A translator is difficult and expensive to build, and using today'stechniques, each programming language needs its own translator. Forexample, it is nearly impossible to use the same translator for both Javaand C++. The project is developing techniques by which a ``back end,''which understands machine language, can serve many different ``frontends,'' each of which understands a different programming language.Combining such front and back ends can produce a translator much morecheaply than is possible at present. The major new idea is to use*three* interfaces. The C-- language is an interface that enablesthe front end to tell the back end what a program should do. The C--run-time interface reveals decisions made by the back end so that thefront end can support such services as garbage collection and threads.The Cobalt language is an interface that enables the front end to tell theback end what special translation techniques are needed for efficiency ina particular language. These interfaces are supported by new, automatictechniques for eliminating potential errors in translation.