Role of Compilers in Computer Architecture

A compiler is a software layer that helps the high level executions that are made in a programming language to be compiled and implemented by the underlying hardware computer architecture. Though a compiler is majorly designed based on the language specification, the hardware that it is going to implement on has a significant role in the compiler design. Effective compilers allow for a more efficient execution of application programs for a given computer architecture, while well-conceived architectural features can support more effective compiler optimization techniques. A well thought-out strategy of tradeoffs between compilers and computer architectures is the key to the successful designing of highly efficient and effective computer systems. From embedded micro-controllers to large-scale multiprocessor systems, it is important to understand the interaction between compilers and computer architectures. The factors in which the compiler and the computer architecture have to agree on are: regularity, orthogonality and compensability. Any issue with these factors result in a tougher task for the compiler designer. So, making an efficient compiler involves the collaborative work of both a compiler designer and the hardware architects who built the computer architecture.