Accurate binding-time analysis for imperative languages

Abstract

Since a binding-time analysis determines how an off-line partial evaluator will specialize a program, the accuracy of the binding-time information directly determines the degree of specialization. We have designed and implemented a binding-time analysis for an imperative language, and integrated it into our partial evaluator for C, called Tempo [9]. This binding-time analysis includes a number of new features, not available in any existing partial evaluator for an imperative language, which are critical when specializing existing programs such as operating system components [24, 25].• Flow sensitivity . A different binding-time description is computed for each program point, allowing the same variable to be considered static at one program point and dynamic at another.• Context sensitivity . Each function call is analyzed with the context of the call site, generating multiple binding-time annotated instances of the same function definition.• Return sensitivity . A different binding-time description is computed for the side-effects and the return value of a function.