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Native Code Emission

Research substrate for Mochi MEP-42 (May 2026). A 73-file deep dive into how managed-language runtimes lower typed IR to native machine code: code generation backends, AOT case studies, naive emission techniques, target ISAs and ABIs, object formats, linkers, runtime and libc, debug info, and recent PLDI/POPL papers.

native-codegen research mep-42

Background research for Mochi MEP-42: the native-codegen positioning that pairs a copy-and-patch JIT (Xu+Kjolstad PLDI 2021, validated by CPython 3.13 in October 2024) for mochi run hot loops with a C-as-target AOT pipeline (Nim / V / Vala lineage) for mochi build distributables.

Each subsection drills into one thread of the 2024-2026 native-codegen landscape. Every file has a §1 Provenance with canonical URLs, a §2 Mechanism, a §3 status as of May 2026, a Mochi adaptation note, and open questions.

Sections

  1. Backends — LLVM 20, Cranelift, QBE, MIR, libgccjit, copy-and-patch, DynASM, golang-asm, MLIR, C-as-target, TCC/chibicc, Wasmtime AOT.
  2. AOT case studies — GraalVM Native Image, .NET NativeAOT, Zig, Crystal, Nim, Hare, V, Julia, Mojo, GHC NCG, Embedded Swift, Static Python.
  3. Naive emission — Sparkplug, JSC Baseline, copy-and-patch, single-pass classic, Wasm baseline, per-op template JIT, chibicc, QBE for naive.
  4. Targets — x86_64, AArch64, RISC-V 64, Wasm 3.0, other ISAs.
  5. Formats — ELF, Mach-O, PE/COFF, Wasm module, APE / Cosmopolitan.
  6. Linkers — LLD, mold, Apple ld_prime, GNU ld + gold, no-linker path.
  7. Runtime — musl, glibc, Cosmopolitan libc, Go runtime, freestanding, universal binaries, static-PIE, signing.
  8. Debug — DWARF 5, CodeView / PDB, source maps for Wasm.
  9. Papers — PLDI 2024-2025, POPL 2024-2025, MLIR dialects, Cranelift design, textbooks, compile-time vs runtime tradeoff.
Code Generation BackendsLLVM, Cranelift, QBE, MIR, libgccjit, copy-and-patch, DynASM, golang-asm, MLIR, C-as-target, TCC/chibicc, Wasmtime AOT, direct object emission, JIT library survey.
15 pages · 65 min
AOT Compilation Case StudiesGraalVM Native Image, .NET NativeAOT, Zig self-hosted, Crystal, Nim, Hare, V, Julia juliac, Mojo, GHC NCG, Embedded Swift, Static Python / CPython 3.13 JIT.
13 pages · 67 min
Naive Emission TechniquesSparkplug, JSC Baseline, copy-and-patch (Xu+Kjolstad PLDI 2021), single-pass classic, Wasm baseline, per-opcode template JIT, chibicc walkthrough, QBE for naive emit.
9 pages · 41 min
Target ISAs and ABIsx86_64 SysV, x86_64 Windows, AArch64 AAPCS, AArch64 Windows, RISC-V 64, Wasm 3.0, other ISAs, summary matrix.
8 pages · 38 min
Object FormatsELF, Mach-O, PE/COFF, Wasm module, APE / Cosmopolitan polyglot binary.
5 pages · 27 min
LinkersLLD, mold, Apple ld_prime, GNU ld + gold, the no-linker path, summary recommendation.
6 pages · 25 min
Runtime and libcmusl static, glibc, Cosmopolitan libc, Go runtime as library, no-libc freestanding, universal binaries, static-PIE, signing and notarization.
8 pages · 40 min
Debug Info FormatsDWARF 5, CodeView / PDB, source maps for Wasm.
3 pages · 15 min
Recent Papers and SurveysPLDI 2024-2025 codegen, POPL 2024-2025 compiler papers, MLIR dialects 2026, Cranelift design, compiler textbooks 2026, compile-time vs runtime tradeoff.
6 pages · 27 min