LARA

Example Efficient Code for Conditionals

class Activity {
    static int activityLevel = 0;
 
    static boolean action(int signals, boolean objects, int smart, int pretty) {
	if (smart + 2*pretty > 10 && !(signals <= 5 && objects)) {
	    activityLevel++;
	    return true;
	} else {
	    return false;
	}
    }
}

Compiles using javac into:

static boolean action(int, boolean, int, int);
  Code:
   0:   iload_2
   1:   iconst_2
   2:   iload_3
   3:   imul
   4:   iadd
   5:   bipush  10
   7:   if_icmple       29
   10:  iload_0
   11:  iconst_5
   12:  if_icmpgt       19
   15:  iload_1
   16:  ifne    29
   19:  getstatic       #2; //Field activityLevel:I
   22:  iconst_1
   23:  iadd
   24:  putstatic       #2; //Field activityLevel:I
   27:  iconst_1
   28:  ireturn
   29:  iconst_0
   30:  ireturn

Observations:

  • this code peforms short-circuit evaluation, moreover:
  • when 'smart+2*pretty' is false, code immediately ireturns 'false'
  • when 'signals > 5' is true, code immediately goes to 'then' part
  • no intermediate result for if condition - do branches directly
  • negation sign is eliminated and pushed through relations
  • there is only one iconst_0 and only one iconst_1

How can we generate such pretty code?