HLVM vs LLVM

[dcrex]

Hello all!

I'm new here, and I hope I'm placing this topic in an apropriate forum.
So, I would like to know if anybody has any experiences with high level virtual machines?

I know that a target language for a low level virtual machine is pretty much the same as most of assemblers (addressing registers and invoking other low level stuff). But what about HLVM (high level virtual machines)? What is the target language? Is it all still about registers and moving data between them, or is it at least a bit higher (while, if, for statements)?

I hope this question makes sense, and thank you in advance!

[LB]

What do you expect from a Virtual Machine of any level, high or low? It seems that 'high level virtual machine' is not a common thing based on google search results, but there are two projects making HLVMs that I saw.

I think the better question to ask is, what is the benefit of an HLVM vs the combination of an LLVM + programming language?

[dcrex]

Well, I would expect that HLVM is low level + some already built in functions.

Hmm, I hope this makes sense.

(I don't know if it the code is correct, but I think it will make a point)
Let's say LLVM : (print character 'D' (hex = 44))
mov eax #44
int 20

And then the High level:
print "DDDDDDD"

So basically, a target language for Highlevel virtual machine helps you out a bit.

Is that correct?

[LB]

I can't tell whether or not you're making a distinction between 'virtual machine' and 'programming language', so I don't know.

[dcrex]

Like I said in my #1 post. I'm asking this question regarding comparison between HLVM and LLVM ->Targert language<-

Thanks anyway

[Duthomhas]

It looks very much the same, only there exist some instructions to do some higher-level stuff.

[dcrex]

Thanks, Duoas. I've made a simple vm and an assembly for it. (you know, one of those that can only add or take values of two registers). I wasn't sure if "it would be ok" to implement some print function in my assembly, that would print out a register's value.

Thanks again you guys.

[rapidcoder]

Haven't tried it but C-- looks very interesting, much more interesting than LLVM.