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European Conference on Object-Oriented Programming

ECOOP 1995: ECOOP’95 — Object-Oriented Programming, 9th European Conference, Åarhus, Denmark, August 7–11, 1995 pp 77–101Cite as

Optimization of Object-Oriented Programs Using Static Class Hierarchy Analysis

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 952))

Abstract

Optimizing compilers for object-oriented languages apply static class analysis and other techniques to try to deduce precise information about the possible classes of the receivers of messages; if successful, dynamically-dispatched messages can be replaced with direct procedure calls and potentially further optimized through inline-expansion. By examining the complete inheritance graph of a program, which we call class hierarchy analysis, the compiler can improve the quality of static class information and thereby improve run-time performance. In this paper we present class hierarchy analysis and describe techniques for implementing this analysis effectively in both statically- and dynamically-typed languages and also in the presence of multi-methods. We also discuss how class hierarchy analysis can be supported in an interactive programming environment and, to some extent, in the presence of separate compilation. Finally, we assess the bottom-line performance improvement due to class hierarchy analysis alone and in combination with two other “competing” optimizations, profile-guided receiver class prediction and method specialization.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195-2350, USA

    Jeffrey Dean, David Grove & Craig Chambers

Authors
  1. Jeffrey Dean
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  2. David Grove
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  3. Craig Chambers
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, 223, Japan

    Mario Tokoro

  2. Rank Xerox Research Centre, 6 Chemin de Maupertuis, F-38240, Meylan, France

    Remo Pareschi

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© 1995 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Dean, J., Grove, D., Chambers, C. (1995). Optimization of Object-Oriented Programs Using Static Class Hierarchy Analysis. In: Tokoro, M., Pareschi, R. (eds) ECOOP’95 — Object-Oriented Programming, 9th European Conference, Åarhus, Denmark, August 7–11, 1995. ECOOP 1995. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 952. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-49538-X_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-49538-X_5

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-60160-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-49538-3

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