Available expression

In the field of compiler optimizations, available expressions is an analysis algorithm that determines for each point in the program the set of expressions that need not be recomputed. Those expressions are said to be available at such a point. To be available on a program point, the operands of the expression should not be modified on any path from the occurrence of that expression to the program point.

The analysis is an example of a forward data flow analysis problem. A set of available expressions is maintained. Each statement is analysed to see whether it changes the operands of one or more available expressions. This yields sets of available expressions at the end of each basic block, known as the outset in data flow analysis terms. An expression is available at the start of a basic block if it is available at the end of each of the basic block's predecessors. This gives a set of equations in terms of available sets, which can be solved by an iterative algorithm.

Available expression analysis is used to do global common subexpression elimination (CSE). If an expression is available at a point, there is no need to re-evaluate it.

References

Aho, Sethi & Ullman: Compilers – Principles, Techniques, and Tools Addison-Wesley Publishing Company 1986

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v t e Compiler optimizations
Basic block	Peephole optimization Local value numbering
Loop	Automatic parallelization Automatic vectorization Induction variable Loop fusion Loop-invariant code motion Loop inversion Loop interchange Loop nest optimization Loop splitting Loop unrolling Loop unswitching Software pipelining Strength reduction
Data-flow analysis	Available expression Common subexpression elimination Constant folding Dead store elimination Induction variable recognition and elimination Live-variable analysis Upwards exposed uses Use-define chain Reaching definitions
SSA-based	Global value numbering Sparse conditional constant propagation
Code generation	Instruction scheduling Instruction selection Register allocation Rematerialization
Functional	Deforestation Tail-call elimination
Global	Interprocedural optimization
Other	Bounds-checking elimination Compile-time function execution Dead-code elimination Expression templates Inline expansion Jump threading Partial evaluation Profile-guided optimization
Static analysis	Alias analysis Array-access analysis Control-flow analysis Data-flow analysis Dependence analysis Escape analysis Pointer analysis Shape analysis Value range analysis