STRAF: A Scala Framework for Experiments in Trace-Based JIT Compilation

Abstract

We introduce straf, a Scala framework for recording and optimizing execution traces of an interpreter it is composed with. For interpreters that satisfy the requirements detailed in this paper, this composition requires but a small effort from the implementer to result in a trace-based JIT compiler. We describe the framework, and illustrate its composition with a Scheme interpreter that satisfies the aforementioned requirements. We benchmark the resulting trace-based JIT compiler on a set of Scheme programs. Finally, we implement an optimization to demonstrate that straf enables further experimentation in the domain.