Feature request: global "Fast Math" flag
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- Dominant language
- Rust
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Description
With NVCC, I can use the flag --use_fast_math to enable algebraic optimisations globally when compiling a file. The only way I found to enable such optimisations in Rust-CUDA is to use the fadd_fast intrinsics (and similar). The typical reasoning for using this approach instead of a global "fast math" flag is that some math functions may rely on strict adherence to IEEE float semantics, so using a global "fast math" flag might silently break these. However, CudaBuilder already has a global ftz flag which may already break such functions. Therefore, perhaps it makes sense to also add a global fast_math flag, given that it's ok to globally opt-in to breaking IEEE anyway via ftz?
I'm happy to help with the implementation of this
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Research direction
Start by locating CudaBuilder's existing global ftz option and reviewing how fadd_fast and similar intrinsics are exposed. Compare that behavior with NVCC's --use_fast_math semantics; done means establishing whether a global fast_math option can be added without changing the existing opt-in behavior for strict IEEE math.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- rust
- Domain
- tooling
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100