Using peephole optimization on intermediate code

Many portable compilers generate an intermediate code that is subsequently translated into the target machine's assembly language. In this paper a stack-machine-based intermediate code suitable for algebraic languages (e.g., PASCAL, C, FORTRAN) and most byte-addressed mini- and microcom-puters is described. A table-driven peephole optimizer that improves this intermediate code is then discussed in detail and compared with other local optimization methods. Measurements show an improvement ofabout 15 percent, depending on the precise metric used