ORBIT: an optimizing compiler for scheme

Abstract

In this paper we describe an optimizing compiler for Scheme [3, 131 called Orbit that incorporates our experience with an earlier Scheme compiler called TC [IO, II], together with some ideas from Steele’s Rabbit compiler [14]. The three main design goals have been correctness, generating very efficient compiled code, and portability. In spirit, Orbit is similar to the Rabbit compiler in that it depends on a translation of source code into