AST vs. Bytecode: Interpreters in the Age of Meta-Compilation

Explore a comprehensive comparison between abstract-syntax-tree (AST) and bytecode interpreters in the context of meta-compilation systems through this insightful conference talk from OOPSLA2 2023. Delve into the research conducted by Octave Larose, Sophie Kaleba, Humphrey Burchell, and Stefan Marr from the University of Kent, challenging common assumptions about interpreter performance. Examine the trade-offs between AST and bytecode interpreters, focusing on memory use, run-time performance, peak performance, warmup behavior, and the impact of individual optimizations. Discover surprising findings that reveal AST interpreters to be competitive with bytecode interpreters when using meta-compilation systems like RPython and GraalVM. Gain valuable insights into language implementation techniques, just-in-time compilation, and the future of interpreter design for building efficient programming language implementations.

[OOPSLA23] AST vs. Bytecode: Interpreters in the Age of Meta-Compilation