What is Intel Architecture Code Analyzer (IACA) and how can I use it to analyze code performance?

What is IACA and how do I use it?

IACA, short for Intel Architecture Code Analyzer, is a discontinued static analysis tool developed by Intel. It allows the analysis of code scheduling on modern Intel processors.

Capabilities

IACA can compute:

• Throughput: Maximum throughput of an innermost loop
• Latency: Minimum latency from first to last instruction
• Trace: Progress of instructions through pipeline stages

Supported Platforms and Code Formats

• Processor versions: Nehalem, Westmere, Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge, Haswell, Broadwell, Skylake (up to version 2.3), Haswell, Broadwell, Skylake (version 3.0)
• Code formats: C/C , x86 assembler

Limitations

• EOL: IACA reached end-of-life in 2019
• Ignores unsupported instructions
• Does not support non-innermost loops in throughput mode

Usage: C/C

• Include iacaMarks.h in your code
• Insert start and end markers around the innermost loop
• Rebuild the code with optimizations enabled

Usage: Assembly (x86)

• Manually insert magic byte patterns for start and end markers

Analysis:

• Provide the code binary with inserted markers
• Invocation command: iaca.sh -arch -graph -64 foo
• : Specific processor architecture
• : Generates a visual dependency graph using Graphviz

Output:

• Text report showing:

  • Throughput or latency analysis
  • Port binding and pressure analysis
  • Cycle breakdown for each instruction
• Dependency graph (if specified)

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