Title: Just-in-time compilation for OCaml.

Description: Modern byte-code based language implementations, such as Microsoft's .Net Common Language Runtime and most virtual machines for Java, provide a just-in-time (JIT) compiler that translate byte code into native machine code immediately before execution. JIT compilers were originally designed to achieve efficient execution of system-independent programs distributed over the Internet. Lately, they have also been used to improve the efficiency of application that employ run-time code generation and execution.

The functional language OCaml features both a byte-code compiler and a native-code compiler but not a just-in-time compiler. The goal of this project is to extend OCaml's virtual machine with a just-in-time compiler that enable efficient execution of existing OCaml byte code programs.

[Note that an implementation of a JIT compiler appears to be shipped in a future release of the standard OCaml distribution.]

Prerequisities: This project requires a profound understanding of compilation techniques, of interpreters or virtual machines, and of strict functional programming languages (e.g., Standard ML or OCaml). The project involves a large amount of programming (in OCaml and C).

Workload: 22.5 ECTS. There is enough work for a Master's thesis for one or two students.

Semesters: Fall 2004 or Spring 2005.

Supervisor: Morten Rhiger, assistant professor, PhD.

Links and references: The OCaml homepage.