The latest version of the GNU Compiler Collection includes a new optimisation framework that will enhance the performance of programs compiled using the open source compiler.
GCC was originally written by the Free Software Foundation (FSF) founder Richard Stallman and is the most popular compiler used by free-software developers. Its support for a wide range of programming languages and target platforms has made it a key part of the FSF's efforts to produce as much free software as possible. It's also the compiler used to create the Linux kernel
GCC 4.0, which was released last week, includes improvements to its optimiser, which apply to all languages and target platforms. These include dead code elimination, which removes code that can never be executed, and autovectorisation of loops on platforms that support vector processing. It also includes language-specific improvements, such as a performance enhancement in the compiler front-end for the C++ programming language.
"When compiling without optimisations, the C++ front-end is much faster than in any previous versions of GCC," stated the GCC 4.0 release notes. "Independent testers have measured speed-ups up to 25 percent in real-world production code, compared to the 3.4 family (which was already the fastest version to date). Upgrading from older versions might show even bigger improvements."
GCC supports various languages including C, C++, Java, Fortran and Pascal. It can generate software for processors including x86 models such as Pentium and Opteron, Sun's Sparc, HP's PA-RISC, IBM's Power and mainframe processors and Intel's Itanium.
