computer science Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to Applied science, practical discipli ...

, array-access analysis is a

compiler analysis In computing, an optimizing compiler is a compiler that tries to minimize or maximize some attributes of an executable computer program. Common requirements are to minimize a program's execution time, memory footprint, storage size, and power cons ...

approach used to decide the read and write access patterns to elements or portions of arrays. The major data type manipulated in scientific programs is the array. The define/use analysis on a whole array is insufficient for aggressive

compiler optimization In computing, an optimizing compiler is a compiler that tries to minimize or maximize some attributes of an executable computer program. Common requirements are to minimize a program's execution time, memory footprint, storage size, and power con ...

s such as auto parallelization and array

privatization Privatization (also privatisation in British English) can mean several different things, most commonly referring to moving something from the public sector into the private sector. It is also sometimes used as a synonym for deregulation when ...

. Array access analysis aims to obtain the knowledge of which portions or even which elements of the array are accessed by a given code segment (

basic block In compiler construction, a basic block is a straight-line code sequence with no branches in except to the entry and no branches out except at the exit. This restricted form makes a basic block highly amenable to analysis. Compilers usually decom ...

loop Loop or LOOP may refer to: Brands and enterprises * Loop (mobile), a Bulgarian virtual network operator and co-founder of Loop Live * Loop, clothing, a company founded by Carlos Vasquez in the 1990s and worn by Digable Planets * Loop Mobile, an ...

, or even at the procedure level). Array-access analysis can be largely categorized into exact (or reference-list-based) and summary methods for different tradeoffs of accuracy and complexity. Exact methods are precise but very costly in terms of computation and space storage, while summary methods are approximate but can be computed quickly and economically. Typical exact array-access analysis include linearization and atom images. Summary methods can be further divided into array sections, bounded regular sections using triplet notation, linear-constraint methods such as data-access descriptors and array-region analysis.

References

{{prog-lang-stub Compiler construction Static program analysis