LLVM Z80 — Bringing LLVM capabilities to Zilog Z80…

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About this project

LLVM-Z80 offers a powerful LLVM fork tailored for Zilog Z80 microprocessors, bringing modern capabilities to vintage hardware. Although still experimental, it focuses on optimized code generation, supporting a range of Z80 and compatible CPUs. This project is a unique opportunity to leverage LLVM's potential in resource-constrained environments.

LLVM-Z80 is an innovative fork of the LLVM compiler infrastructure specifically designed to support the Zilog Z80 microprocessors and their related architectures. Recognized for its high-performance features, LLVM-Z80 offers a rich set of capabilities aimed at developers looking to harness the power of modern compilation techniques for retro computing.

Key Features

Multi-width Integer Arithmetic: Provides support for integer types up to 128 bits, facilitating complex calculations with ease.
Floating-Point Compliance: Features half and single-precision floating-point arithmetic that adheres to the IEEE 754 standard, ensuring accurate computations.
Dual Toolchain Support: Choose between the default ELF path using an integrated assembler and ld.lld linker or use the SDCC toolchain with sdasz80 and sdldz80 for other assembly requirements.
Cross-linking Capability: Allows seamless integration with SDCC-compiled code via specialized converters.
Optimizations: Includes standard LLVM optimizations such as constant folding and dead code elimination, enhancing the performance of the generated code.

Target Platforms

LLVM-Z80 is compatible with a variety of binary-compatible CPUs including:

Z80, Z180, eZ80
R800, μPD780, LH0080
SM83 (Game Boy)
Analogue Pocket (AP)

Frontend Integration

Developers can leverage LLVM-Z80 with several programming languages:

C/C++: Supported via Clang included in the repository (C++ support is experimental).
Rust: Integration through llvm-z80/rust-z80.
Potential for More: Future support anticipated for other LLVM-based languages like Zig and TinyGo.

Usage Examples

ELF Toolchain (Default):

clang --target=z80 -O1 input.c -o output.elf
llvm-objcopy -O binary output.elf output.bin
z88dk-ticks -trace output.bin

SDCC Toolchain:

clang --target=z80-unknown-none-sdcc -O1 input.c -o output.ihx
# Execute with z88dk-ticks for simulation
makebin output.ihx output.bin
z88dk-ticks -trace output.bin

These simple commands illustrate how to compile Z80 applications using LLVM-Z80, empowering developers to create efficient programs for legacy systems.

Experimental Stage

It is important to note that LLVM-Z80 is currently in an experimental phase and may not be suitable for production environments at this time. Developers seeking a stable Z80 C compiler for production purposes are advised to consider the Small Device C Compiler (SDCC).

Further resources and documentation can be found within the repository, including details on tests, utilities, and FAQs for a clearer understanding.

This project is not officially affiliated with or endorsed by the LLVM Foundation or the LLVM project, positioning itself as a community-driven effort aimed at enhancing Z80 programming.