[Python-Dev] Bytecode analysis

[Guido van Rossum]

> As you say, LOAD_FAST is a very frequently occuring instruction, both
> statically and dynamically. Reducing it from a 3 byte instruction to a 1
> byte instruction in 97% of (static) cases should be an overall good.
> 
> Most of the opcodes I proposed could be added without disturbing
> locality of reference.
> 
> e.g.
> 
> switch (op = *p++) {
>    ...
>    case LOAD_FAST:
>       index = (*p++) + (*p++)<<8
>       goto LOAD_FAST_MAIN;
> 	break;
>    case LOAD_FAST_0:
>    case LOAD_FAST_1:
>    case LOAD_FAST_15:
>       index = op - LOAD_FAST_0
>       LOAD_FAST_MAIN:
> 	...
>       break;
> 
>        
> }

Good idea.  Can you benchmark this?

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)