Validating register allocation and spilling

Abstract

Following the translation validation approach to high-assurance compilation, we describe a new algorithm for validating a posteriori the results of a run of register allocation. The algorithm is based on backward dataflow inference of equations between variables, registers and stack locations, and can cope with sophisticated forms of spilling and live range splitting, as well as many architectural irregularities such as overlapping registers. The soundness of the algorithm was mechanically proved using the Coq proof assistant. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.