Code optimization with single instruction, multiple data
Strong Arm Performance
© Lead Image © vectortatu, 123RF.com
Coding for the ARM NEON vector hardware can significantly improve performance and help you get the most out of low-power systems such as the Raspberry Pi.
You have just coded that new algorithm, the one that handles all the complexities of your data to return exactly the answers you need. As you launch the program and wait, you realize that you have a problem: You are still waiting. The code is slow, far too slow to be usable. You need faster processing, preferably without upgrading your hardware.
Before you reach for the other cores on your processor, it makes sense to see if you can optimize the code for a single core first. Any single-core optimizations will reduce the number of cores ultimately needed. Taking advantage of any available single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) hardware is an effective means of accelerating mathematically intensive problems. SIMD (vector) hardware uses parallel arithmetic units executing the same operation on multiple elements of data within the same clock cycle.
ARM's implementation of SIMD, called NEON, is relatively intuitive and effective. The NEON instructions operate on 128 bits (16 bytes) of data per clock, either as sixteen 8-bit characters, eight 16-bit short integers, or even four 32-bit floating-point numbers. Modern compilers, such as GCC, have the ability to vectorize code automatically during optimization [1], but you often have room for improvement if you are willing to use the NEON instructions directly.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Debian 13.0 Officially Released
After two years of development, the latest iteration of Debian is now available with plenty of under-the-hood improvements.
-
Upcoming Changes for MXLinux
MXLinux 25 has plenty in store to please all types of users.
-
A New Linux AI Assistant in Town
Newelle, a Linux AI assistant, works with different LLMs and includes document parsing and profiles.
-
Linux Kernel 6.16 Released with Minor Fixes
The latest Linux kernel doesn't really include any big-ticket features, just a lot of lines of code.
-
EU Sovereign Tech Fund Gains Traction
OpenForum Europe recently released a report regarding a sovereign tech fund with backing from several significant entities.
-
FreeBSD Promises a Full Desktop Installer
FreeBSD has lacked an option to include a full desktop environment during installation.
-
Linux Hits an Important Milestone
If you pay attention to the news in the Linux-sphere, you've probably heard that the open source operating system recently crashed through a ceiling no one thought possible.
-
Plasma Bigscreen Returns
A developer discovered that the Plasma Bigscreen feature had been sitting untouched, so he decided to do something about it.
-
CachyOS Now Lets Users Choose Their Shell
Imagine getting the opportunity to select which shell you want during the installation of your favorite Linux distribution. That's now a thing.
-
Wayland 1.24 Released with Fixes and New Features
Wayland continues to move forward, while X11 slowly vanishes into the shadows, and the latest release includes plenty of improvements.