Part 3. Swift Compiler Internals. LLVM Language

In this section, we’ll delve deeper into LLVM’s Intermediate Representation (IR) language and explore its structure, components, and how it facilitates various compiler-related tasks.

LLVM is a widely-used compiler infrastructure that provides tools for building compilers, optimizers, and other programming language-related tools.

We’ll cover how to install LLVM, use LLVM’s command-line utilities, and write simple programs to demonstrate LLVM’s capabilities.

Before proceeding with this tutorial, it’s highly recommended to review the LLVM IR syntax overview provided in this tutorial. This will help you better understand the concepts discussed and follow along effectively.

Key Features of LLVM IR

1. SSA Form: Each variable is assigned only once, simplifying analysis and optimization.
2. Typed: LLVM IR is strongly typed, allowing for precise data representations.
3. Instruction-Based: Code is represented as a series of instructions, each performing specific operations.
4. Control Flow: Supports control flow constructs like conditionals, loops, and function calls.
5. Modular: Encourages modular code organization through functions, allowing for efficient analysis and…