On the grill: the llvm-autojit plugin, with Stefan Gränitz

In our November meetup we are testing a new format: Bring an idea, concept or project that you can describe in detail and let it get grilled by the group. Not to burn it down, but to make it taste better! :)

For our first round, Stefan Gränitz will present his work on the llvm-autojit plugin, an experimental compiler extension that defers LLVM IR compilation to runtime automatically. The project reached a proof-of-concept state, where simple C, C++ and Rust programs build and run successfully. Once we introduced the general idea and the technical baseline, there will be many things to bounce.

Let's bring all points of friction to the table and see what we can learn!

For example..

• For conceptual thinkers: Is it worth fighting for ABI-stability on the object file level?
• For IR verifiers: Are all these fixups of linkage types and aliases actually valid?
• For C++ experts: How far must we go, when enforcing the one-definition rule between static and JITed code?
• For IR pipeliners: Can we get AddressSanitizer to work in JITed code? Or: why does it run so late in the compiler pipeline?
• For toolchain welders: Is the --whole-archive hack a dealbreaker, or can we make ar pull in definitions that appear unused? (JITed code needs them later on)
• For alpha users: Is this plugin simple enough for regular use?

The plugin code is not open-source yet, but attendees can get early access during the meetup. Members can request access via the mailing list before the meetup.

Small snacks and drinks will be available. There is always space for outside topics and discussions. If you have specific questions, please bring them. Looking forward to meeting everyone again!