An approach to ordering optimizing transformations

As an approach to deriving an application order of optimizing transformations, a framework is developed for examining the interactions of the transformations. The framework is based on an axiomatic specification technique and includes both pre-conditions and post conditions that must exist before and after applying optimizations. For a selected set of optimizations, the framework is used to determine those interactions among the optimizations that can create conditions and those that can destroy conditions for applying other optimizations. From these interactions, an application order is derived to obtain the potential benefits of the optimizations that can be applied to a program. In some cases, the ordering of a pair of optimizations is unambiguous in that one optimization can either create or destroy the conditions for the other. In the few cases where there is a cyclic interaction, the ordering is resolved based on the perceived importance of the two optimizations.