Mastering LLVM Backend Development: A Practical Guide to Code Generation, Instruction Selection, and Compiler Optimization with LLVM

Unlock the Power Behind Every Line of Code You Run. Learn What Happens After You Hit 'Compile'.

Are you fascinated by how code turns into lightning-fast machine instructions? Have you ever wondered how modern compilers actually generate code behind the scenes? Whether you're a curious beginner or a developer looking to build serious compiler skills, this book is your ultimate guide to mastering LLVM backend development.

LLVM is one of the most powerful and widely used compiler frameworks in the world. It powers everything from programming languages like Swift and Rust to performance-critical systems at companies like Apple, Google, and Intel. Yet, its backend-the part that turns intermediate code into real machine instructions-remains one of its most complex and least understood areas.

This book will change that.

Inside, you'll learn:

✅ How LLVM transforms high-level code into fast, efficient machine instructions
✅ The step-by-step process of writing your own backend from scratch
✅ Key concepts like SSA, ABI, instruction selection, and register allocation-explained simply
✅ The difference between SelectionDAG and GlobalISel, and how to work with both
✅ How to model your architecture using TableGen and plug it into the LLVM pipeline
✅ Real-world strategies for debugging, optimizing, and understanding every stage of backend compilation
✅ How to contribute meaningfully to the LLVM open-source community
✅ The essential tools and tips to avoid common mistakes and grow your compiler expertise

Whether you're a compiler engineer, systems programmer, language creator, or just curious about how things work under the hood, this guide is packed with clear explanations, practical examples, and hands-on exercises to deepen your understanding of one of the most complex and exciting areas in computer science.

You don't need a PhD to understand compilers. You just need the right guide.
This is it.