WebAssembly / WebAssembly/binaryen
O2 regression in optimize-instructions due to coalesceLocals
Nobody has claimed this yet.
- Dominant language
- WebAssembly
- Stars
- 8.6k
- Forks
- 885
- Avg merge
- 1d 19h
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 69
Description
Given the following code:
(module
(import "External" "external_function" (func $external_function))
(func $_start
(local $0 i32) (local $3 i32) (local $5 i32) (local $6 i32) (local $11 i32) (local $1 i32) (local $2 i32) (local $7 i32)
loop ;; label = @1
block ;; label = @2
i32.const 0
i32.load
br_if 0 (;@2;)
i32.const 0
local.get $11
i32.store
i32.const 0
local.set $5
i32.const 1
local.set $0
i32.const 0
local.get $0
i32.store
i32.const -346457217
local.set $6
block ;; label = @3
local.get $0
local.get $6
i32.ne
br_if 0 (;@3;)
call $external_function
end
local.get $5
i32.const 0
i32.load
i32.lt_s
i32.const 0
local.set $1
local.get $1
i32.shl
drop
local.get $1
unreachable
end
i32.const 0
i32.load
local.set $2
local.get $2
local.set $3
local.get $2
local.get $3
i32.store
br 0 (;@1;)
end)
(memory $0 1)
(export "_start" (func $_start)))
wasm-opt (16dbac1) can eliminate the dead br_if body by -all -O1 but cannot by -all -O2.
Analysis
The direct issue is that optimize-instructions cannot deduce the condition to zero in -all -O2 while it can in -all -O1. (further the dead if statement body will be eliminated by --vacuum)
Before optimize-instructions, that is precompute:
`-all -O1`, after `precompute`, going to `optimize-instructions`
(module
(type (;0;) (func))
(import "External" "external_functional" (func (;0;) (type 0)))
(func (;1;) (type 0)
(local i32 i32)
loop ;; label = @1
i32.const 0
i32.load
i32.eqz
if ;; label = @2
i32.const 0
local.get 1
i32.store
i32.const 0
i32.const 1
local.tee 0
i32.store
local.get 0
i32.const -346457217
i32.eq
if ;; label = @3
call 0
end
i32.const 0
i32.load
drop
unreachable
else
i32.const 0
i32.load
local.tee 1 ;; Note this line: using variable 1, not affects condition
local.get 1
i32.store
br 1 (;@1;)
end
unreachable
end
unreachable)
(memory (;0;) 1)
(export "_start" (func 1)))
`-all -O2`, after `precompute`, going to `optimize-instructions`
(module
(type (;0;) (func))
(import "External" "external_function" (func (;0;) (type 0)))
(func (;1;) (type 0)
(local i32 i32)
loop ;; label = @1
i32.const 0
i32.load
i32.eqz
if ;; label = @2
i32.const 0
local.get 1
i32.store
i32.const 0
i32.const 1
local.tee 0
i32.store
local.get 0
i32.const -346457217
i32.eq
if ;; label = @3
call 0
end
i32.const 0
i32.load
unreachable
else
i32.const 0
i32.load
local.tee 0 ;; Note this line: using variable 0 will affect condition deduction
local.get 0
i32.store
br 1 (;@1;)
end
unreachable
end
unreachable)
(memory (;0;) 1)
(export "_start" (func 1)))
As you can see, the condition are the same:
(if
(i32.eq
(local.get $0)
(i32.const -346457217)
)
(then
(call $external_functional)
)
)
However, the statements in else statements are slightly different, but critical: -all -O1 uses local variable 1, while -all -O2 uses local variable 0 (local.tee 0), which I thinks maybe affect the deduction of the condition in optimize-instructions .
Continue to trace back and analyze in the optimized pipeline, the slightly but critical difference begins in coalesce-locals, which is the optimizations of Key "register allocation" pass. Does a live range analysis and then reuses locals in order to minimize their number, as well as to remove copies between them.
Although the coalesce-locals performs aggressive optimizations, I think there is missed optimization in the optimize-instructions, for it should have deduced the condition to be 0.
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Reproduce the WebAssembly example with wasm-opt -all -O1 and -all -O2, then compare the output after precompute, coalesce-locals, and optimize-instructions. Trace how local.tee 0 versus local.tee 1 affects condition deduction. Done means optimize-instructions recognizes the condition as zero at O2 and eliminates the dead br_if body without changing behavior.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- wasm
- Domain
- compilers
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 45/100