WIP Coroutine Documentation

[GorNishanov]

Summary

This is the first patch in the coroutine series. It contains the documentation for the coroutine intrinsics and their usage.

[pitrou]

docs/Coroutines.rst

111

Shouldn't the first branch target be %cleanup, instead of %coro.return?

[GorNishanov]

docs/Coroutines.rst

111

coro.fork is currently specified so that:
the true branch leads to the place where control need to transfer if we hit suspend point.
the false branch leads to normal continuation.

I think you are right. It would be better to flip the meaning of true and false, so that normal branch is the first, and alternative is the second, same as coro.suspend and similar to invoke instruction.

Also, I was looking for a better name for coro.fork. Do you think coro.start would work better?

[pitrou]

docs/Coroutines.rst

111

My comment was related to the fact that the normal continuation branch should not skip the cleanup step (since the frame was allocated before, it needs to be deallocated).

As for the name, yes, coro.start() or perhaps coro.first() sounds better.

[GorNishanov]

docs/Coroutines.rst

111

coro.fork does not represent a suspend point. It is mostly there to indicate where to go when coroutine hits its very first suspend (while still running by the caller of 'f').

An alternative representation is to get rid of coro.fork altogether and replace coro.suspend with a terminator instruction with three possible successors.

Namely:

corosuspend [final] [save %token] to label %return.block
  resume label %resume
  cleanup label %cleanup

corosuspend is lowered as follows:

in 'f': corosuspend is replaced with `br %return.block`

in 'f.resume': 
  add a new entry block with a switch jumping to all resume blocks
  corosuspend is replaced with `ret void`

in 'f.destroy': 
  add a new entry block with a switch jumping to all cleanup blocks
  corosuspend is replaced with `ret void` (though this is not necessary since
  all corosuspends will be unreachable in the f.destroy and will be thrown out by
  SimplifyCFG

I think this makes understanding of the model clearer. The only negative side
to a corosuspend with three branching targets is that it is very likely that
to label block will be the same in all corosuspend's thus wasting valuable
bits. :-)

[GorNishanov]

Updated to match the latest RFC:

http://lists.llvm.org/pipermail/llvm-dev/2016-July/102133.html

[GorNishanov]

I started an official review of the llvm-commits:
https://reviews.llvm.org/D22603

I added the Python example.
I also added it to this review, so that it is easy to see what changed.

Please comment on https://reviews.llvm.org/D22603, not on this one.

[GorNishanov]

llvm-commits review is at: https://reviews.llvm.org/D22603

docs/Coroutines.rst

+=====================================
+Coroutines in LLVM
+=====================================
+
+.. contents::
+   :local:
+   :depth: 3
+
+.. warning::
+  This is a work in progress. Compatibility across LLVM releases is not 
+  guaranteed.
+
+Introduction
+============
+
+.. _coroutine handle:
+
+LLVM coroutines are functions that have one or more `suspend points`_. 
+When a suspend point is reached, the execution of a coroutine is suspended and
+control is returned back to its caller. A suspended coroutine can be resumed 
+to continue execution from the last suspend point or it can be destroyed. 
+
+In the following example, we call function `f` (which may or may not be a 
+coroutine itself) that returns a handle to a suspended coroutine 
+(**coroutine handle**) that is used by `main` to resume the coroutine twice and
+then destroy it:
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  define i32 @main() {
+  entry:
+    %hdl = call i8* @f(i32 4)
+    call void @llvm.coro.resume(i8* %hdl)
+    call void @llvm.coro.resume(i8* %hdl)
+    call void @llvm.coro.destroy(i8* %hdl)
+    ret i32 0
+  }
+
+.. _coroutine frame:
+
+In addition to the function stack frame which exists when a coroutine is 
+executing, there is an additional region of storage that contains objects that 
+keep the coroutine state when a coroutine is suspended. This region of storage
+is called **coroutine frame**. It is created when a coroutine is called and 
+destroyed when a coroutine runs to completion or destroyed by a call to 
+the `coro.destroy`_ intrinsic. 
+
+An LLVM coroutine is represented as an LLVM function that has calls to
+`coroutine intrinsics`_ defining the structure of the coroutine.
+After lowering, a coroutine is split into several
+functions that represent three different ways of how control can enter the 
+coroutine: 
+
+1. a ramp function, which represents an initial invocation of the coroutine that
+   creates the coroutine frame and executes the coroutine code until it 
+   encounters a suspend point or reaches the end of the function;
+
+2. a coroutine resume function that is invoked when the coroutine is resumed;
+
+3. a coroutine destroy function that is invoked when the coroutine is destroyed.
+
+.. note:: Splitting out resume and destroy functions are just one of the 
+   possible ways of lowering the coroutine. We chose it for initial 
+   implementation as it matches closely the mental model and results in 
+   reasonably nice code.
+
+Coroutines by Example
+=====================
+
+Coroutine Representation
+------------------------
+
+Let's look at an example of an LLVM coroutine with the behavior sketched
+by the following pseudo-code.
+
+.. code-block:: C++
+
+  void *f(int n) {
+     for(;;) {
+       print(n++);
+       <suspend> // returns a coroutine handle on first suspend
+     }     
+  } 
+
+This coroutine calls some function `print` with value `n` as an argument and
+suspends execution. Every time this coroutine resumes, it calls `print` again with an argument one bigger than the last time. This coroutine never completes by itself and must be destroyed explicitly. If we use this coroutine with 
+a `main` shown in the previous section. It will call `print` with values 4, 5 
+and 6 after which the coroutine will be destroyed.
+
+The LLVM IR for this coroutine looks like this:
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  define i8* @f(i32 %n) {
+  entry:
+    %size = call i32 @llvm.coro.size.i32()
+    %alloc = call i8* @malloc(i32 %size)
+    %hdl = call noalias i8* @llvm.coro.begin(i8* %alloc, i32 0, i8* null, i8* null)
+    br label %loop
+  loop:
+    %n.val = phi i32 [ %n, %entry ], [ %inc, %loop ]
+    %inc = add nsw i32 %n.val, 1
+    call void @print(i32 %n.val)
+    %0 = call i8 @llvm.coro.suspend(token none, i1 false)
+    switch i8 %0, label %suspend [i8 0, label %loop
+                                  i8 1, label %cleanup]
+  cleanup:
+    %mem = call i8* @llvm.coro.free(i8* %hdl)
+    call void @free(i8* %mem)
+    br label %suspend
+  suspend:
+    call void @llvm.coro.end(i8* %hdl, i1 false)
+    ret i8* %hdl
+  }
+
+The `entry` block establishes the coroutine frame. The `coro.size`_ intrinsic is
+lowered to a constant representing the size required for the coroutine frame. 
+The `coro.begin`_ intrinsic initializes the coroutine frame and returns the 
+coroutine handle. The first parameter of `coro.begin` is given a block of memory 
+to be used if the coroutine frame needs to be allocated dynamically.
+
+The `cleanup` block destroys the coroutine frame. The `coro.free`_ intrinsic, 
+given the coroutine handle, returns a pointer of the memory block to be freed or
+`null` if the coroutine frame was not allocated dynamically. The `cleanup` 
+block is entered when coroutine runs to completion by itself or destroyed via
+call to the `coro.destroy`_ intrinsic.
+
+The `suspend` block contains code to be executed when coroutine runs to 
+completion or suspended. The `coro.end`_ intrinsic marks the point where 
+a coroutine needs to return control back to the caller if it is not an initial 
+invocation of the coroutine. 
+
+The `loop` blocks represents the body of the coroutine. The `coro.suspend`_ 
+intrinsic in combination with the following switch indicates what happens to 
+control flow when a coroutine is suspended (default case), resumed (case 0) or 
+destroyed (case 1).
+
+Coroutine Transformation
+------------------------
+
+One of the steps of coroutine lowering is building the coroutine frame. The
+def-use chains are analyzed to determine which objects need be kept alive across
+suspend points. In the coroutine shown in the previous section, use of virtual register 
+`%n.val` is separated from the definition by a suspend point, therefore, it 
+cannot reside on the stack frame since the latter goes away once the coroutine 
+is suspended and control is returned back to the caller. An i32 slot is 
+allocated in the coroutine frame and `%n.val` is spilled and reloaded from that
+slot as needed.
+
+We also store addresses of the resume and destroy functions so that the 
+`coro.resume` and `coro.destroy` intrinsics can resume and destroy the coroutine
+when its identity cannot be determined statically at compile time. For our 
+example, the coroutine frame will be:
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  %f.frame = type { void (%f.frame*)*, void (%f.frame*)*, i32 }
+
+After resume and destroy parts are outlined, function `f` will contain only the 
+code responsible for creation and initialization of the coroutine frame and 
+execution of the coroutine until a suspend point is reached:
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  define i8* @f(i32 %n) {
+  entry:
+    %alloc = call noalias i8* @malloc(i32 24)
+    %0 = call noalias i8* @llvm.coro.begin(i8* %alloc, i32 0, i8* null, i8* null)
+    %frame = bitcast i8* %frame to %f.frame*
+    %1 = getelementptr %f.frame, %f.frame* %frame, i32 0, i32 0
+    store void (%f.frame*)* @f.resume, void (%f.frame*)** %1
+    %2 = getelementptr %f.frame, %f.frame* %frame, i32 0, i32 1
+    store void (%f.frame*)* @f.destroy, void (%f.frame*)** %2
+   
+    %inc = add nsw i32 %n, 1
+    %inc.spill.addr = getelementptr inbounds %f.Frame, %f.Frame* %FramePtr, i32 0, i32 2
+    store i32 %inc, i32* %inc.spill.addr
+    call void @print(i32 %n)
+   
+    ret i8* %frame
+  }
+
+Outlined resume part of the coroutine will reside in function `f.resume`:
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  define internal fastcc void @f.resume(%f.frame* %frame.ptr.resume) {
+  entry:
+    %inc.spill.addr = getelementptr %f.frame, %f.frame* %frame.ptr.resume, i64 0, i32 2
+    %inc.spill = load i32, i32* %inc.spill.addr, align 4
+    %inc = add i32 %n.val, 1
+    store i32 %inc, i32* %inc.spill.addr, align 4
+    tail call void @print(i32 %inc)
+    ret void
+  }
+
+Whereas function `f.destroy` will contain the cleanup code for the coroutine:
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  define internal fastcc void @f.destroy(%f.frame* %frame.ptr.destroy) {
+  entry:
+    %0 = bitcast %f.frame* %frame.ptr.destroy to i8*
+    tail call void @free(i8* %0)
+    ret void
+  }
+
+Avoiding Heap Allocations
+-------------------------
+ 
+A particular coroutine usage pattern, which is illustrated by the `main` 
+function in the overview section, where a coroutine is created, manipulated and 
+destroyed by the same calling function, is common for coroutines implementing
+RAII idiom and is suitable for allocation elision optimization which avoid 
+dynamic allocation by storing the coroutine frame as a static `alloca` in its 
+caller.
+
+If a coroutine uses allocation and deallocation functions that are known to
+LLVM, unused calls to `malloc` and calls to `free` with `null` argument will be
+removed as dead code. However, if custom allocation functions are used, the
+`coro.alloc` and `coro.free` intrinsics can be used to enable removal of custom
+allocation and deallocation code when coroutine does not require dynamic
+allocation of the coroutine frame.
+
+In the entry block, we will call `coro.alloc`_ intrinsic that will return `null`
+when dynamic allocation is required, and non-null otherwise:
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  entry:
+    %elide = call i8* @llvm.coro.alloc()
+    %need.dyn.alloc = icmp ne i8* %elide, null
+    br i1 %need.dyn.alloc, label %coro.begin, label %dyn.alloc
+  dyn.alloc:
+    %size = call i32 @llvm.coro.size.i32()
+    %alloc = call i8* @CustomAlloc(i32 %size)
+    br label %coro.begin
+  coro.begin:
+    %phi = phi i8* [ %elide, %entry ], [ %alloc, %dyn.alloc ]
+    %hdl = call noalias i8* @llvm.coro.begin(i8* %phi, i32 0, i8* null, i8* null)
+
+In the cleanup block, we will make freeing the coroutine frame conditional on
+`coro.free`_ intrinsic. If allocation is elided, `coro.free`_ returns `null`
+thus skipping the deallocation code:
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  cleanup:
+    %mem = call i8* @llvm.coro.free(i8* %hdl)
+    %need.dyn.free = icmp ne i8* %mem, null
+    br i1 %need.dyn.free, label %dyn.free, label %if.end
+  dyn.free:
+    call void @CustomFree(i8* %mem)
+    br label %if.end
+  if.end:
+    ...
+
+With allocations and deallocations represented as described as above, after
+coroutine heap allocation elision optimization, the resulting main will end up 
+looking just like it was when we used `malloc` and `free`:
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  define i32 @main() {
+  entry:
+    call void @print(i32 4)
+    call void @print(i32 5)
+    call void @print(i32 6)
+    ret i32 0
+  }
+
+Multiple Suspend Points
+-----------------------
+
+Let's consider the coroutine that has more than one suspend point:
+
+.. code-block:: C++
+
+  void *f(int n) {
+     for(;;) {
+       print(n++);
+       <suspend>
+       print(-n);
+       <suspend>
+     }
+  }
+
+Matching LLVM code would look like (with the rest of the code remaining the same
+as the code in the previous section):
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  loop:
+    %n.addr = phi i32 [ %n, %entry ], [ %inc, %loop.resume ]
+    call void @print(i32 %n.addr) #4
+    %2 = call i8 @llvm.coro.suspend(token none, i1 false)
+    switch i8 %2, label %suspend [i8 0, label %loop.resume
+                                  i8 1, label %cleanup]
+  loop.resume:
+    %inc = add nsw i32 %n.addr, 1
+    %sub = xor i32 %n.addr, -1
+    call void @print(i32 %sub)
+    %3 = call i8 @llvm.coro.suspend(token none, i1 false)
+    switch i8 %3, label %suspend [i8 0, label %loop
+                                  i8 1, label %cleanup]
+
+In this case, the coroutine frame would include a suspend index that will 
+indicate at which suspend point the coroutine needs to resume. The resume 
+function will use an index to jump to an appropriate basic block and will look 
+as follows:
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  define internal fastcc void @f.Resume(%f.Frame* %FramePtr) {
+  entry.Resume:
+    %index.addr = getelementptr inbounds %f.Frame, %f.Frame* %FramePtr, i64 0, i32 2
+    %index = load i8, i8* %index.addr, align 1
+    %switch = icmp eq i8 %index, 0
+    %n.addr = getelementptr inbounds %f.Frame, %f.Frame* %FramePtr, i64 0, i32 3
+    %n = load i32, i32* %n.addr, align 4
+    br i1 %switch, label %loop.resume, label %loop
+
+  loop.resume:
+    %sub = xor i32 %n, -1
+    call void @print(i32 %sub)
+    br label %suspend
+  loop:
+    %inc = add nsw i32 %n, 1
+    store i32 %inc, i32* %n.addr, align 4
+    tail call void @print(i32 %inc)
+    br label %suspend
+
+  suspend:
+    %storemerge = phi i8 [ 0, %loop ], [ 1, %loop.resume ]
+    store i8 %storemerge, i8* %index.addr, align 1
+    ret void
+  }
+
+If different cleanup code needs to get executed for different suspend points, 
+a similar switch will be in the `f.destroy` function.
+
+.. note ::
+
+  Using suspend index in a coroutine state and having a switch in `f.resume` and
+  `f.destroy` is one of the possible implementation strategies. We explored 
+  another option where a distinct `f.resume1`, `f.resume2`, etc. are created for
+  every suspend point, and instead of storing an index, the resume and destroy 
+  function pointers are updated at every suspend. Early testing showed that the
+  current approach is easier on the optimizer than the latter so it is a 
+  lowering strategy implemented at the moment.
+
+Distinct Save and Suspend
+-------------------------
+
+In the previous example, setting a resume index (or some other state change that 
+needs to happen to prepare a coroutine for resumption) happens at the same time as
+a suspension of a coroutine. However, in certain cases, it is necessary to control 
+when coroutine is prepared for resumption and when it is suspended.
+
+In the following example, a coroutine represents some activity that is driven
+by completions of asynchronous operations `async_op1` and `async_op2` which get
+a coroutine handle as a parameter and resume the coroutine once async
+operation is finished.
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  void g() {
+     for (;;)
+       if (cond()) {
+          async_op1(<coroutine-handle>); // will resume once async_op1 completes
+          <suspend>
+          do_one();
+       }
+       else {
+          async_op2(<coroutine-handle>); // will resume once async_op2 completes
+          <suspend>
+          do_two();
+       }
+     }
+  }
+
+In this case, coroutine should be ready for resumption prior to a call to 
+`async_op1` and `async_op2`. The `coro.save`_ intrinsic is used to indicate a
+point when coroutine should be ready for resumption (namely, when a resume index
+should be stored in the coroutine frame, so that it can be resumed at the 
+correct resume point):
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  if.true:
+    %save1 = call token @llvm.coro.save(i8* %hdl)
+    call void async_op1(i8* %hdl)
+    %suspend1 = call i1 @llvm.coro.suspend(token %save1, i1 false)
+    switch i8 %suspend1, label %suspend [i8 0, label %resume1
+                                         i8 1, label %cleanup]
+  if.false:
+    %save2 = call token @llvm.coro.save(i8* %hdl)
+    call void async_op2(i8* %hdl)
+    %suspend2 = call i1 @llvm.coro.suspend(token %save2, i1 false)
+    switch i8 %suspend1, label %suspend [i8 0, label %resume2
+                                         i8 1, label %cleanup]
+
+.. _coroutine promise:
+
+Coroutine Promise
+-----------------
+
+A coroutine author or a frontend may designate a distinguished `alloca` that can
+be used to communicate with the coroutine. This distinguished alloca is called
+**coroutine promise** and is provided as a third parameter to the `coro.begin`_ 
+intrinsic.
+
+The following coroutine designates a 32 bit integer `promise` and uses it to
+store the current value produced by a coroutine.
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  define i8* @f(i32 %n) {
+  entry:
+    %promise = alloca i32
+    %pv = bitcast i32* %promise to i8*
+    %size = call i32 @llvm.coro.size.i32()
+    %alloc = call i8* @malloc(i32 %size)
+    %hdl = call noalias i8* @llvm.coro.begin(i8* %alloc, i32 0, i8* %pv, i8* null)
+    br label %loop
+  loop:
+    %n.val = phi i32 [ %n, %entry ], [ %inc, %loop ]
+    %inc = add nsw i32 %n.val, 1
+    store i32 %n.val, i32* %promise
+    %0 = call i8 @llvm.coro.suspend(token none, i1 false)
+    switch i8 %0, label %suspend [i8 0, label %loop
+                                  i8 1, label %cleanup]
+  cleanup:
+    %mem = call i8* @llvm.coro.free(i8* %hdl)
+    call void @free(i8* %mem)
+    br label %suspend
+  suspend:
+    call void @llvm.coro.end(i8* %hdl, i1 false)
+    ret i8* %hdl
+  }
+
+A coroutine consumer can rely on the `coro.promise`_ intrinsic to access the
+coroutine promise.
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  define i32 @main() {
+  entry:
+    %hdl = call i8* @f(i32 4)
+    %promise.addr = call i32* @llvm.coro.promise.p0i32(i8* %hdl)
+    %val0 = load i32, i32* %promise.addr
+    call void @print(i32 %val0)
+    call void @llvm.coro.resume(i8* %hdl)
+    %val1 = load i32, i32* %promise.addr
+    call void @print(i32 %val1)
+    call void @llvm.coro.resume(i8* %hdl)
+    %val2 = load i32, i32* %promise.addr
+    call void @print(i32 %val2)
+    call void @llvm.coro.destroy(i8* %hdl)
+    ret i32 0
+  }
+
+There is also an intrinsic `coro.from.promise`_ that performs a reverse
+operation. Given an address of a coroutine promise, it obtains a coroutine handle. 
+This intrinsic is the only mechanism for a user code outside of the coroutine 
+to get access to the coroutine handle.
+
+After example in this section is compiled, result of the compilation will 
+exactly like the result of the very first example:
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  define i32 @main() {
+  entry:
+    tail call void @print(i32 4)
+    tail call void @print(i32 5)
+    tail call void @print(i32 6)
+    ret i32 0
+  }
+
+.. _final:
+.. _final suspend:
+
+Final Suspend
+-------------
+
+A coroutine author or a frontend may designate a particular suspend to be final,
+by setting the second argument of the `coro.suspend`_ intrinsic to `true`.
+Such a suspend point has two properties:
+
+* it is possible to check whether a suspended coroutine is at the final suspend
+  point via `coro.done`_ intrinsic;
+
+* a resumption of a coroutine stopped at the final suspend point leads to 
+  undefined behavior. The only possible action for a coroutine at a final
+  suspend point is destroying it via `coro.destroy`_ intrinsic.
+
+From the user perspective, the final suspend point represents an idea of a 
+coroutine reaching the end. From the compiler perspective, it is an optimization
+opportunity for reducing number of resume points (and therefore switch cases) in
+the resume function.
+
+The following is an example of a function that keeps resuming the coroutine
+until the final suspend point is reached after which point the coroutine is 
+destroyed:
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  define i32 @main() {
+  entry:
+    %hdl = call i8* @f(i32 4)
+    br label %while
+  while:
+    call void @llvm.coro.resume(i8* %hdl)
+    %done = call i1 @llvm.coro.done(i8* %hdl)
+    br i1 %done, label %end, label %while
+  end:
+    call void @llvm.coro.destroy(i8* %hdl)
+    ret i32 0
+  }
+
+Usually, final suspend point is a frontend injected suspend point that does not
+correspond to any explicitly authored suspend point of the high level language.
+For example, for a Python generator that has only one suspend point:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+  def coroutine(n):
+    for i in range(n):
+      yield i
+
+Python frontend would inject two more suspend points, so that the actual code
+looks like this:
+
+.. code-block:: C
+
+  void* coroutine(int n) {
+    int current_value; 
+    <designate current_value to be coroutine promise>
+    <SUSPEND> // injected suspend point, so that the coroutine starts suspended
+    for (int i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
+      current_value = i; <SUSPEND>; // corresponds to "yield i"
+    }
+    <SUSPEND final=true> // injected final suspend point
+  }
+
+and python iterator `__next__` would look like:
+
+.. code-block:: C++
+
+  int __next__(void* hdl) {
+    coro.resume(hdl);
+    if (coro.done(hdl)) throw StopIteration();
+    return *(int*)coro.promise(hdl);
+  }
+
+Intrinsics
+==========
+
+Coroutine Manipulation Intrinsics
+---------------------------------
+
+Intrinsics described in this section are used to manipulate an existing
+coroutine. They can be used in any function which happen to have a pointer
+to a `coroutine frame`_ or a pointer to a `coroutine promise`_.
+
+.. _coro.destroy:
+
+'llvm.coro.destroy' Intrinsic
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+Syntax:
+"""""""
+
+::
+
+      declare void @llvm.coro.destroy(i8* <handle>)
+
+Overview:
+"""""""""
+
+The '``llvm.coro.destroy``' intrinsic destroys a suspended
+coroutine.
+
+Arguments:
+""""""""""
+
+The argument is a coroutine handle to a suspended coroutine.
+
+Semantics:
+""""""""""
+
+When possible, the `coro.destroy` intrinsic is replaced with a direct call to 
+the coroutine destroy function. Otherwise it is replaced with an indirect call 
+based on the function pointer for the destroy function stored in the coroutine
+frame. Destroying a coroutine that is not suspended leads to undefined behavior.
+
+.. _coro.resume:
+
+'llvm.coro.resume' Intrinsic
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+::
+
+      declare void @llvm.coro.resume(i8* <handle>)
+
+Overview:
+"""""""""
+
+The '``llvm.coro.resume``' intrinsic resumes a suspended coroutine.
+
+Arguments:
+""""""""""
+
+The argument is a handle to a suspended coroutine.
+
+Semantics:
+""""""""""
+
+When possible, the `coro.resume` intrinsic is replaced with a direct call to the
+coroutine resume function. Otherwise it is replaced with an indirect call based 
+on the function pointer for the resume function stored in the coroutine frame. 
+Resuming a coroutine that is not suspended leads to undefined behavior.
+
+.. _coro.done:
+
+'llvm.coro.done' Intrinsic
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+::
+
+      declare i1 @llvm.coro.done(i8* <handle>)
+
+Overview:
+"""""""""
+
+The '``llvm.coro.done``' intrinsic checks whether a suspended coroutine is at 
+the final suspend point or not.
+
+Arguments:
+""""""""""
+
+The argument is a handle to a suspended coroutine.
+
+Semantics:
+""""""""""
+
+Using this intrinsic on a coroutine that does not have a `final suspend`_ point 
+or on a coroutine that is not suspended leads to undefined behavior.
+
+.. _coro.promise:
+
+'llvm.coro.promise' Intrinsic
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+::
+
+      declare <type>* @llvm.coro.promise.p0<type>(i8* <handle>)
+
+Overview:
+"""""""""
+
+The '``llvm.coro.promise``' intrinsic returns a pointer to a 
+`coroutine promise`_.
+
+Arguments:
+""""""""""
+
+The argument is a handle to a coroutine.
+
+Semantics:
+""""""""""
+
+Using this intrinsic on a coroutine that does not have a coroutine promise
+leads to undefined behavior. It is possible to read and modify coroutine
+promise of the coroutine which is currently executing. The coroutine author and
+a coroutine user are responsible to makes sure there is no data races.
+
+.. _coro.from.promise:
+
+'llvm.coro.from.promise' Intrinsic
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+::
+
+    declare i8* @llvm.coro.from.promise.p0<type>(<type>* <handle>)
+
+Overview:
+"""""""""
+
+The '``llvm.coro.from.promise``' intrinsic returns a coroutine
+handle given the coroutine promise.
+
+Arguments:
+""""""""""
+
+An address of a coroutine promise.
+
+Semantics:
+""""""""""
+
+Using this intrinsic on a coroutine that does not have a coroutine promise
+results in undefined behavior.
+
+.. _coroutine intrinsics:
+
+Coroutine Structure Intrinsics
+------------------------------
+Intrinsics described in this section are used within a coroutine to describe
+the coroutine structure. They should not be used outside of a coroutine.
+
+.. _coro.size:
+
+'llvm.coro.size' Intrinsic
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+::
+
+    declare i32 @llvm.coro.size()
+    declare i64 @llvm.coro.size()
+
+Overview:
+"""""""""
+
+The '``llvm.coro.size``' intrinsic returns the number of bytes
+required to store a `coroutine frame`_.
+
+Arguments:
+""""""""""
+
+None
+
+Semantics:
+""""""""""
+
+The `coro.size` intrinsic is lowered to a constant representing the size of
+the coroutine frame. 
+
+.. _coro.begin:
+
+'llvm.coro.begin' Intrinsic
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+::
+
+  declare i8* @llvm.coro.begin(i8* %mem, i32 %align, i8* %promise, i8* %fnaddr)
+
+Overview:
+"""""""""
+
+The '``llvm.coro.begin``' intrinsic returns an address of the 
+coroutine frame.
+
+Arguments:
+""""""""""
+
+The first argument is a pointer to a block of memory in which coroutine frame
+may use if memory for the coroutine frame needs to be allocated dynamically. 
+
+The second argument provides information on the alignment of the memory returned 
+by the allocation function and given to `coro.begin` by the first argument. If 
+this argument is 0, the memory is assumed to be aligned to 2 * sizeof(i8*).
+This argument only accepts constants.
+
+The third argument, if not `null`, designates a particular alloca instruction to
+be a `coroutine promise`_.
+
+The fourth argument is `null` before coroutine is split, and later is replaced 
+to point to a private global constant array containing function pointers to 
+outlined resume and destroy parts of the coroutine.
+
+Semantics:
+""""""""""
+
+Depending on the alignment requirements of the objects in the coroutine frame
+and/or on the codegen compactness reasons the pointer returned from `coro.begin` 
+may be at offset to the `%mem` argument. (This could be beneficial if 
+instructions that express relative access to data can be more compactly encoded 
+with small positive and negative offsets).
+
+Frontend should emit exactly one `coro.begin` intrinsic per coroutine.
+
+.. _coro.free:
+
+'llvm.coro.free' Intrinsic
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+::
+
+  declare i8* @llvm.coro.free(i8* %frame)
+
+Overview:
+"""""""""
+
+The '``llvm.coro.free``' intrinsic returns a pointer to a block of memory where 
+coroutine frame is stored or `null` if this instance of a coroutine did not use
+dynamically allocated memory for its coroutine frame.
+
+Arguments:
+""""""""""
+
+A pointer to the coroutine frame. This should be the same pointer that was 
+returned by prior `coro.begin` call.
+
+Example (custom deallocation function):
+"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  cleanup:
+    %mem = call i8* @llvm.coro.free(i8* %frame)
+    %mem_not_null = icmp ne i8* %mem, null
+    br i1 %mem_not_null, label %if.then, label %if.end
+  if.then:
+    call void @CustomFree(i8* %mem)
+    br label %if.end
+  if.end:
+    ret void
+
+Example (standard deallocation functions):
+""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  cleanup:
+    %mem = call i8* @llvm.coro.free(i8* %frame)
+    call void @free(i8* %mem)
+    ret void
+
+.. _coro.alloc:
+
+'llvm.coro.alloc' Intrinsic
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+::
+
+  declare i8* @llvm.coro.alloc()
+
+Overview:
+"""""""""
+
+The '``llvm.coro.alloc``' intrinsic returns an address of the memory on the 
+callers frame where coroutine frame of this coroutine can be placed or `null` 
+otherwise.
+
+Arguments:
+""""""""""
+
+None
+
+Semantics:
+""""""""""
+
+If the coroutine is eligible for heap elision, this intrinsic is lowered to an 
+alloca storing the coroutine frame. Otherwise, it is lowered to constant `null`.
+This intrinsic only needs to be used if a custom allocation function is used
+(i.e. a function not recognized by LLVM as a memory allocation function) and the
+language rules allow for custom allocation / deallocation to be elided when not
+needed.
+
+Example:
+""""""""
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  entry:
+    %elide = call i8* @llvm.coro.alloc()
+    %0 = icmp ne i8* %elide, null
+    br i1 %0, label %coro.begin, label %coro.alloc
+
+  coro.alloc:
+    %frame.size = call i32 @llvm.coro.size()
+    %alloc = call i8* @MyAlloc(i32 %frame.size)
+    br label %coro.begin
+
+  coro.begin:
+    %phi = phi i8* [ %elide, %entry ], [ %alloc, %coro.alloc ]
+    %frame = call i8* @llvm.coro.begin(i8* %phi, i32 0, i8* null, i8* null)
+
+.. _coro.frame:
+
+'llvm.coro.frame' Intrinsic
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+::
+
+  declare i8* @llvm.coro.frame()
+
+Overview:
+"""""""""
+
+The '``llvm.coro.frame``' intrinsic returns an address of the coroutine frame of
+the enclosing coroutine.
+
+Arguments:
+""""""""""
+
+None
+
+Semantics:
+""""""""""
+
+This intrinsic is lowered to refer to the `coro.begin`_ instruction. This is
+a frontend convenience intrinsic that makes it easier to refer to the
+coroutine frame.
+
+.. _coro.end:
+
+'llvm.coro.end' Intrinsic
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+::
+
+  declare void @llvm.coro.end(i8* hdl, i1 unwind)
+
+Overview:
+"""""""""
+
+The '``llvm.coro.end``' marks the point where execution of the resume part of 
+the coroutine should end and control returns back to the caller.
+
+
+Arguments:
+""""""""""
+
+The first argument should refer to the coroutine handle of the enclosing coroutine.
+
+The second argument should be `true` if this coro.end is in the block that is 
+part of the unwind sequence leaving the coroutine body due to exception prior to
+the first reaching any suspend points, and `false` otherwise.
+
+Semantics:
+""""""""""
+The `coro.end`_ intrinsic is a no-op during an initial invocation of the 
+coroutine. When the coroutine resumes, the intrinsic marks the point when 
+coroutine need to return control back to the caller.
+
+This intrinsic is removed by the CoroSplit pass when a coroutine is split into
+the start, resume and destroy parts. In start part, the intrinsic is removed,
+in resume and destroy parts, it is replaced with `ret void` instructions and
+the rest of the block containing `coro.end` instruction is discarded.
+
+In landing pads it is replaced with an appropriate instruction to unwind to 
+caller.
+
+A frontend is allowed to supply null as the first parameter, in this case 
+`coro-early` pass will replace the null with an appropriate coroutine handle
+value.
+
+.. _coro.suspend:
+.. _suspend points:
+
+'llvm.coro.suspend' Intrinsic
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+::
+
+  declare i8 @llvm.coro.suspend(token %save, i1 %final)
+
+Overview:
+"""""""""
+
+The '``llvm.coro.suspend``' marks the point where execution of the coroutine 
+need to get suspended and control returned back to the caller.
+Conditional branches consuming the result of this intrinsic lead to basic blocks
+where coroutine should proceed when suspended (-1), resumed (0) or destroyed 
+(1).
+
+Arguments:
+""""""""""
+
+The first argument refers to a token of `coro.save` intrinsic that marks the 
+point when coroutine state is prepared for suspension. If `none` token is passed,
+the intrinsic behaves as if there were a `coro.save` immediately preceding
+the `coro.suspend` intrinsic.
+
+The second argument indicates whether this suspension point is `final`_.
+The second argument only accepts constants. If more than one suspend point is
+designated as final, the resume and destroy branches should lead to the same
+basic blocks.
+
+Example (normal suspend point):
+"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+    %0 = call i8 @llvm.coro.suspend(token none, i1 false)
+    switch i8 %0, label %suspend [i8 0, label %resume
+                                  i8 1, label %cleanup]
+
+Example (final suspend point):
+""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+  while.end:
+    %s.final = call i8 @llvm.coro.suspend(token none, i1 true)
+    switch i8 %s.final, label %suspend [i8 0, label %trap
+                                        i8 1, label %cleanup]
+  trap: 
+    call void @llvm.trap()
+    unreachable
+
+Semantics:
+""""""""""
+
+If a coroutine that was suspended at the suspend point marked by this intrinsic
+is resumed via `coro.resume`_ the control will transfer to the basic block
+of the 0-case. If it is resumed via `coro.destroy`_, it will proceed to the
+basic block indicated by the 1-case. To suspend, coroutine proceed to the 
+default label.
+
+If suspend intrinsic is marked as final, it can consider the `true` branch
+unreachable and can perform optimizations that can take advantage of that fact.
+
+.. _coro.save:
+
+'llvm.coro.save' Intrinsic
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+::
+
+  declare token @llvm.coro.save(i8* handle)
+
+Overview:
+"""""""""
+
+The '``llvm.coro.save``' marks the point where a coroutine need to update its 
+state to prepare for resumption to be considered suspended (and thus eligible 
+for resumption). 
+
+Arguments:
+""""""""""
+
+The first argument points to a coroutine handle of the enclosing coroutine.
+
+Semantics:
+""""""""""
+
+Whatever coroutine state changes are required to enable resumption of
+the coroutine from the corresponding suspend point should be done at the point 
+of `coro.save` intrinsic.
+
+Example:
+""""""""
+
+Separate save and suspend points are necessary when a coroutine is used to 
+represent an asynchronous control flow driven by callbacks representing
+completions of asynchronous operations.
+
+In such a case, a coroutine should be ready for resumption prior to a call to 
+`async_op` function that may trigger resumption of a coroutine from the same or
+a different thread possibly prior to `async_op` call returning control back
+to the coroutine:
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+    %save1 = call token @llvm.coro.save(i8* %hdl)
+    call void async_op1(i8* %hdl)
+    %suspend1 = call i1 @llvm.coro.suspend(token %save1, i1 false)
+    switch i8 %suspend1, label %suspend [i8 0, label %resume1
+                                         i8 1, label %cleanup]
+
+.. _coro.param:
+
+'llvm.coro.param' Intrinsic
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+::
+
+  declare i1 @llvm.coro.param(i8* original, i8* copy)
+
+Overview:
+"""""""""
+
+The '``llvm.coro.param``' is used by the frontend to mark up the code used to
+construct and destruct copies of the parameters. If the optimizer discovers that
+a particular parameter copy is not used after any suspends, it can remove the
+construction and destruction of the copy by replacing corresponding coro.param
+with `i1 false` and replacing any use of the `copy` with the `original`.
+
+Arguments:
+""""""""""
+
+The first argument points to an `alloca` storing the value of a parameter to a 
+coroutine. 
+
+The second argument points to an `alloca` storing the value of the copy of that
+parameter.
+
+Semantics:
+""""""""""
+
+The optimizer is free to always replace this intrinsic with `i1 true`.
+
+The optimizer is also allowed to replace it with `i1 false` provided that the 
+parameter copy is only used prior to control flow reaching any of the suspend
+points. The code that would be DCE'd if the `coro.param` is replaced with 
+`i1 false` is not considered to be a use of the parameter copy.
+
+The frontend can emit this intrinsic if its language rules allow for this 
+optimization.
+
+Example:
+""""""""
+Consider the following example. A coroutine takes two parameters `a` and `b`
+that has a destructor and a move constructor.
+
+.. code-block:: C++
+
+  struct A { ~A(); A(A&&); bool foo(); void bar(); };
+
+  task<int> f(A a, A b) {
+    if (a.foo())
+      return 42;
+
+    a.bar();
+    co_await read_async(); // introduces suspend point
+    b.bar();
+  }
+
+Note that, uses of `b` is used after a suspend point and thus must be copied
+into a coroutine frame, whereas `a` does not have to, since it never used 
+after suspend.
+
+A frontend can create parameter copies for `a` and `b` as follows:
+
+.. code-block:: C++
+
+  task<int> f(A a', A b') {
+    a = alloca A;
+    b = alloca A;
+    // move parameters to its copies
+    if (coro.param(a', a)) A::A(a, A&& a');
+    if (coro.param(b', b)) A::A(b, A&& b');
+    ...
+    // destroy parameters copies
+    if (coro.param(a', a)) A::~A(a);
+    if (coro.param(b', b)) A::~A(b);
+  }
+
+The optimizer can replace coro.param(a',a) with `i1 false` and replace all uses
+of `a` with `a'`, since it is not used after suspend.
+
+The optimizer must replace coro.param(b', b) with `i1 true`, since `b` is used
+after suspend and therefore, it has to reside in the coroutine frame.
+
+Coroutine Transformation Passes
+===============================
+CoroEarly
+---------
+The pass CoroEarly lowers coroutine intrinsics that hide the details of the
+structure of the coroutine frame, but, otherwise not needed to be preserved to
+help later coroutine passes. This pass lowers `coro.frame`_, `coro.done`_, 
+`coro.promise`_ and `coro.from.promise`_ intrinsics.
+
+.. _CoroSplit:
+
+CoroSplit
+---------
+The pass CoroSplit buides coroutine frame and outlines resume and destroy parts 
+into separate functions.
+
+CoroElide
+---------
+The pass CoroElide examines if the inlined coroutine is eligible for heap 
+allocation elision optimization. If so, it replaces `coro.alloc` and 
+`coro.begin` intrinsic with an address of a coroutine frame placed on its caller
+and replaces `coro.free` intrinsics with `null` to remove the deallocation code. 
+This pass also replaces `coro.resume` and `coro.destroy` intrinsics with direct 
+calls to resume and destroy functions for a particular coroutine where possible.
+
+CoroCleanup
+-----------
+This pass runs late to lower all coroutine related intrinsics not replaced by
+earlier passes.
+
+Upstreaming sequence (rough plan)
+=================================
+#. Add documentation. <= we are here
+#. Add coroutine intrinsics.
+#. Add empty coroutine passes.
+#. Add coroutine devirtualization + tests.
+#. Add CGSCC restart trigger + tests.
+#. Add coroutine heap elision + tests.
+#. Add custom allocation heap elision + tests.
+#. Add coroutine splitting logic + tests.
+#. Add simple coroutine frame builder + tests.
+#. Add the rest of the logic + tests. (Maybe split further as needed).
+
+Areas Requiring Attention
+=========================
+#. A coroutine frame is bigger than it could be. Adding stack packing and stack 
+   coloring like optimization on the coroutine frame will result in tighter
+   coroutine frames.
+
+#. Take advantage of the lifetime intrinsics for the data that goes into the
+   coroutine frame. Leave lifetime intrinsics as is for the data that stays in
+   allocas.
+
+#. The CoroElide optimization pass relies on coroutine ramp function to be
+   inlined. It would be beneficial to split the ramp function further to 
+   increase the chance that it will get inlined into its caller.
+
+#. Design a convention that would make it possible to apply coroutine heap
+   elision optimization across ABI boundaries.
+
+#. Cannot handle coroutines with `inalloca` parameters (used in x86 on Windows).
+
+#. Alignment is ignored by coro.begin and coro.free intrinsics.
+
+#. Make required changes to make sure that coroutine optimizations work with
+   LTO.
+
+#. More tests, more tests, more tests

docs/index.rst

.. toctree::
    InAlloca
    BigEndianNEON
    CoverageMappingFormat
    Statepoints
    MergeFunctions
    TypeMetadata
    FaultMaps
    MIRLangRef
+   Coroutines
 
 :doc:`WritingAnLLVMPass`
    Information on how to write LLVM transformations and analyses.
 
 :doc:`WritingAnLLVMBackend`
    Information on how to write LLVM backends for machine targets.
 
 :doc:`CodeGenerator`
:doc:`InAlloca`
   Description of the ``inalloca`` argument attribute.
 
 :doc:`FaultMaps`
   LLVM support for folding control flow into faulting machine instructions.
 
 :doc:`CompileCudaWithLLVM`
   LLVM support for CUDA.
 
+:doc:`Coroutines`
+  LLVM support for coroutines.
+
 Development Process Documentation
 =================================
 
 Information about LLVM's development process.
 
 .. toctree::
    :hidden: