Making Fast Incremental Compiler for Huge Codebase - Michał Bartkowiak - code::dive 2019

Abstract Instant and high-quality feedback from the compiler is crucial for fast development nowadays. Imagine that you are faced with the task to write a new, drop-in replacement compiler for the codebase of over 3 millions of lines of code and a huge amount of mutually dependent units of code. Your ultimate goal is to shorten feedback time from minutes to a couple of seconds. This talk will describe challenges encountered during the development of such a compiler and their solutions. The novel approach introduces recompilation seen as patching of the previously compiled codebase. We'll discuss the design of dedicated data structures and type checking algorithms for detection of changes in the code and allowing fast recompilation of impacted units of code only. About the Speaker - Michał Bartkowiak Michał Bartkowiak has been a professional C++ programmer since 2007 and a TTCN-3 (http://www.ttcn-3.org/) compiler and runtime developer since 2014. From that moment on he has been exploring how to make the toolchain faster, reliable and useful for its users. He focuses on a pragmatic approach to software development where the changes bring maximum value rather than pure aesthetic improvements.