Software optimization resources
Contents
Optimization manuals
This series of five manuals describes everything you need to know about optimizing code for x86 and x86-64 family microprocessors, including optimization advices for C++ and assembly language, details about the microarchitecture and instruction timings of Intel, AMD and VIA processors, and details about different compilers and calling conventions.
Intel microprocessors covered: Intel Pentium 1 through Pentium 4, Pentium D, Pentium M, Core Duo, Core 2, Core i7, Atom, but not Itanium. AMD microprocessors covered: Athlon 64, Opteron. VIA microprocessors covered: Nano. Operating systems covered: DOS, Windows, Linux, BSD, Mac OS X Intel based. Includes coverage of 64-bit systems.
Note that these manuals are not for beginners.
- 1. Optimizing software in C++: An optimization guide for Windows, Linux and Mac platforms
- This is an optimization manual for advanced C++ programmers.
Topics include: The choice of platform and operating system. Choice of
compiler and framework. Finding performance bottlenecks.
The efficiency of different C++ constructs. Multi-core systems.
Parallelization with vector operations. CPU dispatching. Efficient
container class templates. Etc.
File name: optimizing_cpp.pdf, size: 871305, last modified: 2010-Feb-16.
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- 2. Optimizing subroutines in assembly language: An optimization guide for x86 platforms
- This is an optimization manual for advanced assembly language programmers
and compiler makers.
Topics include: C++ instrinsic functions, inline assembly and stand-alone assembly.
Linking optimized assembly subroutines into high level language programs.
Making subroutine libraries compatible with multiple compilers and operating systems.
Optimizing for speed or size. Memory access. Loops. Vector programming (XMM, YMM, SIMD).
CPU-specific optimization and CPU dispatching.
File name: optimizing_assembly.pdf, size: 854707, last modified: 2010-Feb-16.
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- 3. The microarchitecture of Intel, AMD and VIA CPUs: An optimization guide for assembly programmers and compiler makers
- This manual contains details about the internal working of various microprocessors
from Intel, AMD and VIA. Topics include: Out-of-order execution, register renaming,
pipeline structure, execution unit organization and branch prediction algorithms
for each type of microprocessor. Describes many details that cannot be found
in manuals from microprocessor vendors or anywhere else. The information is
based on my own research and measurements rather than on official sources.
This information will be useful to programmers who want to make CPU-specific
optimizations as well as to compiler makers and students of microarchitecture.
File name: microarchitecture.pdf, size: 1294739, last modified: 2010-Feb-16.
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- 4. Instruction tables: Lists of instruction latencies, throughputs and micro-operation breakdowns for Intel, AMD and VIA CPUs
- Contains detailed lists of instruction latencies, execution unit throughputs,
micro-operation breakdown and other details for all application instructions
of most microprocessors from Intel, AMD and VIA. Intended as an appendix to the
preceding manuals.
File name: instruction_tables.pdf, size: 1352052, last modified: 2010-Feb-16.
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- 5. Calling conventions for different C++ compilers and operating systems
- This document contains details about data representation,
function calling conventions, register usage conventions, name mangling schemes,
etc. for many different C++ compilers and operating systems. Discusses compatibilities
and incompatibilities between different C++ compilers. Includes information that
is not covered by the official Application Binary Interface standards (ABI's).
The information provided here is based on my own research and therefore
descriptive rather than normative.
Intended as a source of reference for programmers who want to make function
libraries compatible with multiple compilers or operating systems and for
makers of compilers and other development tools who want their tools to be
compatible with existing tools.
File name: calling_conventions.pdf, size: 366154, last modified: 2010-Feb-16.
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- All five manuals
- Download all the above manuals together in one zip file.
File name: optimization_manuals.zip, size: 3801138, last modified: 2010-Feb-16.
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If you don't know how to read the .pdf files click .
These are some of the test programs I have used for my research. You can use them for testing how many clock cycles a piece of assembly or C++ code takes. Can also count cache misses, branch mispredictions, resource stalls etc. Supports Intel, AMD and VIA processors. Includes different versions for 16, 32 and 64 bit mode, Windows and Linux.
File name: testp.zip, size: 293164, last modified: 2010-Jan-17.
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This utility can be used for converting object files between COFF/PE, OMF, ELF and Mach-O formats for all 32-bit and 64-bit x86 platforms. Can modify symbol names in object files. Can build, modify and convert function libraries across platforms. Can dump object files and executable files. Also includes a very good disassembler supporting the SSE4, AVX, FMA and XOP instruction sets. Source code included (GPL). .
File name: objconv.zip, size: 710609, last modified: 2009-Jul-16.
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This is a library of optimized subroutines coded in assembly language. The functions in this library can be called from C++ and other compiled high-level languages. Supports many different compilers under Windows, Linux, BSD and Mac OS X operating systems, 32 and 64 bits. The library contains faster versions of common C/C++ functions such as memcpy, memmove, memset, strcpy, strcat, strlen, as well as round functions, CPU identification functions, etc.
The package contains library files in many different file formats, C++ header file and assembly language source code. Gnu general public license applies. .
File name: asmlib.zip, size: 226920, last modified: 2009-Jan-22.
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This is a program that can change the CPUID vendor string, family and model number on VIA Nano processors. See my blog for a discussion of the purpose of this program.
File name: cpuidfake.zip, size: 67593, last modified: 2010-Aug-08.
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Agner's CPU blog www.agner.org/optimize/blog
Masm Forum
ASM Community Messageboard
Linux Assembly
Hutch's Assembly pages
Iczelion's Win32 Assembly Homepage
CPU-id tools and information
Programmer's heaven assembler zone
X-bit Labs articles on microprocessors
Virtual sandpile x86 Processor information
intel-assembler programmers guides and manuals
Online computer books
FASM assembler and messageboard
YASM assembler
NASM assembler
JWASM assembler
Intel resources
Reference manuals and other documents can be found at Intel's web site. Intel's web site is refurnished so often that any link I could provide here to specific documents would be broken after a few months. I will therefore recommend that you use the search facilities at developer.intel.com and search for "Software Developer's Manual" and "Optimization Reference Manual".
AMD resources
Microsoft resources
MASM manuals
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