Instruction scheduling in Compiler Design - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is instruction scheduling in compiler design?

Instruction scheduling is a compiler optimization technique that rearranges the order of instructions to improve performance by reducing delays caused by hardware constraints like pipeline stalls.

beginner

Why is instruction scheduling important for modern processors?

It helps to keep the processor's pipeline busy by avoiding stalls and hazards, which leads to faster execution of programs.

intermediate

What are hazards that instruction scheduling tries to avoid?

Hazards are situations like data hazards, control hazards, and structural hazards that can cause delays or incorrect execution if instructions are not properly ordered.

intermediate

How does instruction scheduling relate to instruction-level parallelism (ILP)?

Instruction scheduling increases ILP by rearranging instructions so that independent instructions can execute in parallel without waiting for others to finish.

intermediate

Name two types of instruction scheduling techniques.

Static scheduling, done by the compiler before runtime, and dynamic scheduling, done by the processor during execution.

What is the main goal of instruction scheduling?

A To add more instructions to the code

B To increase the size of the program

C To slow down the processor

D To rearrange instructions to reduce pipeline stalls

Instruction scheduling aims to reorder instructions to minimize delays and keep the processor pipeline busy.

Which hazard does instruction scheduling help to avoid?

A Power hazard

B Memory leak

C Data hazard

D Syntax error

Instruction scheduling helps avoid data hazards by reordering instructions to prevent conflicts over data usage.

Static instruction scheduling is performed by:

A The compiler before the program runs

B The processor during execution

C The operating system

D The user manually

Static scheduling is done by the compiler at compile time to optimize instruction order.

Instruction-level parallelism means:

A Running programs on multiple computers

B Executing multiple instructions at the same time

C Writing instructions in parallel lines

D Using multiple programming languages

Instruction-level parallelism allows independent instructions to run simultaneously to improve performance.

Which of the following is NOT a hazard addressed by instruction scheduling?

A Network hazard

B Structural hazard

C Data hazard

D Control hazard

Network hazards are unrelated to instruction scheduling and processor pipelines.

Explain what instruction scheduling is and why it is used in compilers.

Think about how changing the order of instructions can help the processor run faster.

Describe the difference between static and dynamic instruction scheduling.

Consider who decides the instruction order and when.

Practice

1. What is the main goal of instruction scheduling in compiler design?

easy

A. To rearrange instructions to run faster without changing the program's result

B. To translate code into machine language

C. To check for syntax errors in the source code

D. To increase the size of the compiled program

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of instruction scheduling

   Instruction scheduling rearranges the order of instructions to improve performance without changing what the program does.

2. Step 2: Compare options with this purpose

   Only To rearrange instructions to run faster without changing the program's result matches this goal; others describe different compiler tasks.

3. Final Answer:

   To rearrange instructions to run faster without changing the program's result -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Instruction scheduling = rearranging instructions for speed [OK]

Hint: Instruction scheduling = reorder steps for faster execution [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing instruction scheduling with syntax checking
• Thinking it changes program output
• Mixing it up with code translation

2. Which of the following is a correct statement about instruction scheduling syntax in compilers?

easy

A. Instruction scheduling disables other compiler optimizations

B. Instruction scheduling is done by manually rewriting assembly code only

C. Instruction scheduling requires the programmer to add special keywords in source code

D. Instruction scheduling is an automatic optimization step in modern compilers

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify how instruction scheduling is performed

   Modern compilers perform instruction scheduling automatically during optimization.

2. Step 2: Evaluate each option

   Instruction scheduling is an automatic optimization step in modern compilers correctly states it is automatic; others are false or misleading.

3. Final Answer:

   Instruction scheduling is an automatic optimization step in modern compilers -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Instruction scheduling = automatic in compilers [OK]

Hint: Instruction scheduling happens automatically in compilers [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Believing programmers must manually schedule instructions
• Thinking it requires special source code keywords
• Assuming it disables other optimizations

3. Consider this simplified instruction sequence before scheduling:

LOAD R1, A
LOAD R2, B
ADD R3, R1, R2
STORE C, R3

After instruction scheduling to reduce waiting time, which sequence is most likely?

medium

A. LOAD R1, A
LOAD R2, B
STORE C, R3
ADD R3, R1, R2

B. LOAD R1, A
LOAD R2, B
ADD R3, R1, R2
STORE C, R3

C. LOAD R2, B
LOAD R1, A
ADD R3, R1, R2
STORE C, R3

D. LOAD R1, A
ADD R3, R1, R2
LOAD R2, B
STORE C, R3

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand dependencies in instructions

   ADD depends on both LOAD R1 and LOAD R2; STORE depends on ADD result.

2. Step 2: Identify scheduling that reduces waiting

   Swapping LOAD R1 and LOAD R2 (

   LOAD R2, B
   LOAD R1, A
   ADD R3, R1, R2
   STORE C, R3

   ) can allow parallel loading, reducing wait time without changing order of dependent instructions.

3. Final Answer:

   LOAD R2, B LOAD R1, A ADD R3, R1, R2 STORE C, R3 -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Reordering independent loads = faster execution [OK]

Hint: Swap independent loads to reduce wait time [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Moving dependent instructions before their inputs
• Changing order of STORE before ADD
• Not recognizing independent instructions

4. A compiler's instruction scheduler rearranged instructions but caused a runtime error. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. It only reordered independent instructions

B. It changed the order of dependent instructions incorrectly

C. It optimized the code perfectly without errors

D. It ignored hardware constraints

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the cause of runtime errors after scheduling

   Runtime errors often occur if instruction order breaks data dependencies.

2. Step 2: Evaluate options

   It changed the order of dependent instructions incorrectly correctly identifies incorrect reordering of dependent instructions as cause; others are incorrect or unrelated.

3. Final Answer:

   It changed the order of dependent instructions incorrectly -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Wrong dependency order = runtime error [OK]

Hint: Never reorder dependent instructions incorrectly [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming all reorderings are safe
• Ignoring data dependencies
• Blaming hardware constraints only

5. Given a loop with instructions:

LOAD R1, X[i]
LOAD R2, Y[i]
MUL R3, R1, R2
STORE Z[i], R3

How can instruction scheduling improve performance in this loop?

hard

A. By reordering loads and computations to overlap memory access and calculation

B. By removing the STORE instruction

C. By executing all instructions sequentially without change

D. By duplicating instructions to run in parallel

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify opportunities in loop instructions

   Loads can be scheduled to start early, allowing MUL to use loaded data without waiting.

2. Step 2: Understand scheduling benefits

   Reordering instructions to overlap memory access and computation reduces idle CPU time.

3. Final Answer:

   By reordering loads and computations to overlap memory access and calculation -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Overlap loads and compute = better performance [OK]

Hint: Overlap memory load and compute to speed loops [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Removing necessary instructions
• Not changing instruction order
• Duplicating instructions causing errors