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Comparing R Bytecode Compilers Written in R, Java, and Rust (Extended Abstract)

Authors Pierre Donat-Bouillud , Filip Křikava , Jakob Hain , Adam Plodek , Jan Vitek

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Subject Classification

ACM Subject Classification
  • Software and its engineering → Dynamic compilers
Keywords
  • R
  • bytecode
  • compiler

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Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of three implementations of the R bytecode compiler: the official R implementation, a Java-based compiler, and a Rust-based compiler. The R compiler, written in R itself, poses challenges in terms of performance and maintainability. We evaluate designs of the compilers, their trade-offs, and performance characteristics. The Rust version outperforms the Java version, which itself outperforms the R version.

Cite As Get BibTex

Pierre Donat-Bouillud, Filip Křikava, Jakob Hain, Adam Plodek, and Jan Vitek. Comparing R Bytecode Compilers Written in R, Java, and Rust (Extended Abstract). In Companion Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on the Art, Science, and Engineering of Programming (Programming 2025). Open Access Series in Informatics (OASIcs), Volume 134, pp. 1:1-1:6, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025) https://doi.org/10.4230/OASIcs.Programming.2025.1

Author Details

Pierre Donat-Bouillud
  • Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
  • Northeastern University, USA
Filip Křikava
  • Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
Jakob Hain
  • Purdue University, USA
Adam Plodek
  • Vyper, Prague, Czech Republic
Jan Vitek
  • Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
  • Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

Funding

The research was supported by Czech Science Foundation Grant No. 23-07580X.

Supplementary Materials

References

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  2. Albert Danial. cloc: v2.04, December 2025. URL: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5760077.
  3. Pierre Donat-Bouillud, Filip Křikava, Jakob Hain, Adam Plodek, and Jan Vitek. PRL-PRG/r-compile-server. Software, Czech Science Foundation Grant No. 23-07580X, (visited on 2025-07-16). URL: https://github.com/PRL-PRG/r-compile-server/tree/main/server/src/main/java/org/prlprg/bc
    Software Heritage Logo archived version
    full metadata available at: https://doi.org/10.4230/artifacts.23610
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    Software Heritage Logo archived version
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