At the heart of any robust development platform lies a powerful compiler. Our Rust compiler toolchain for RISC-V leverages advanced compiler backends to achieve optimal performance and code generation. This article provides a detailed comparison of two key backends we integrate: Pliron and Cranelift.
**Pliron** is a multi-level IR (Intermediate Representation) framework designed for high-level optimizations and transformations. It allows us to apply sophisticated compiler passes that are architecture-agnostic, improving code quality before it reaches the final code generation stage. Pliron's modularity and extensibility make it ideal for implementing custom optimizations specific to embedded and secure contexts.
**Cranelift** is a fast, secure, and efficient code generator. It's designed for scenarios where quick compilation and robust runtime performance are critical, such as WebAssembly compilation and JIT environments. For RISC-V, Cranelift provides a lean and performant path to native code, complementing Pliron's high-level optimizations. We discuss the strengths of each backend and how their combined use in our toolchain delivers superior results for RISC-V targets.