I am working on a mapping for software that is analogous to the mapping I developed to describe the different types of processing options. The value of this type of mapping is that it improves the visibility as to the assumptions and optimization trade-offs that drive the design and implementation details of a given tool or architecture. A candidate mapping criteria is the coupling between different layers of abstraction between the software and the hardware target. I will be asking questions that try to tease out the assumptions and trade-offs behind the tools you use to move between different layers of abstraction in your designs.

For example, a compiler allows a software developer to write instructions in a high-level language that generally allows the developer to focus on what the software needs to accomplish without having to worry about partitioning and scheduling the execution engine resources such as register reads and writes. For the mapping model, a compiler would have a strong coupling with the high-level language. Additionally, if the developer is using an operating system, the compiler may also support targeting the software to the operating system API (application programming interface) rather than a privileged mode on the target processor. This would constitute another layer of coupling that the compiler must account for.

However, most compilers also include an inline assembler that allows the developer to break these abstraction layers and work at the level of the target processor’s assembly instructions and resources. Using the inline assembler usually means more complexity for the software developer to manage because the compiler is no longer directly controlling some of the target processor’s resources. Using assembly language can also reduce the portability of the software, so developers usually have a good reason to break the abstraction layer and work at the level of the target processor. Reasons for using an inline assembler include improving the execution speed of the software, optimizing the memory usage in the system, and directly controlling special hardware resources in the processor such as co-processors, accelerators, and peripherals.

Under what conditions do you use the inline assembler (or a separate assembler) for you software? What are the project management and technical trade-offs you consider when choosing to work at the assembly level? What features would a compiler need to support that would allow you to avoid using assembly language? Your answers will help refine the software sweet spot mapping that I am currently developing.