70 lines
3.0 KiB
Markdown
70 lines
3.0 KiB
Markdown
# The Rust standard library's portable SIMD API
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Code repository for the [Portable SIMD Project Group](https://github.com/rust-lang/project-portable-simd).
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Please refer to [CONTRIBUTING.md](./CONTRIBUTING.md) for our contributing guidelines.
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The docs for this crate are published from the main branch.
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You can [read them here][docs].
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If you have questions about SIMD, we have begun writing a [guide][simd-guide].
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We can also be found on [Zulip][zulip-project-portable-simd].
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If you are interested in support for a specific architecture, you may want [stdarch] instead.
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## Hello World
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Now we're gonna dip our toes into this world with a small SIMD "Hello, World!" example. Make sure your compiler is up to date and using `nightly`. We can do that by running
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```bash
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rustup update -- nightly
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```
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or by setting up `rustup default nightly` or else with `cargo +nightly {build,test,run}`. After updating, run
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```bash
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cargo new hellosimd
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```
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to create a new crate. Edit `hellosimd/Cargo.toml` to be
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```toml
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[package]
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name = "hellosimd"
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version = "0.1.0"
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edition = "2018"
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[dependencies]
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core_simd = { git = "https://github.com/rust-lang/portable-simd" }
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```
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and finally write this in `src/main.rs`:
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```rust
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use core_simd::*;
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fn main() {
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let a = f32x4::splat(10.0);
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let b = f32x4::from_array([1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0]);
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println!("{:?}", a + b);
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}
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```
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Explanation: We import all the bindings from the crate with the first line. Then, we construct our SIMD vectors with methods like `splat` or `from_array`. Finally, we can use operators on them like `+` and the appropriate SIMD instructions will be carried out. When we run `cargo run` you should get `[11.0, 12.0, 13.0, 14.0]`.
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## Code Organization
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Currently the crate is organized so that each element type is a file, and then the 64-bit, 128-bit, 256-bit, and 512-bit vectors using those types are contained in said file.
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All types are then exported as a single, flat module.
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Depending on the size of the primitive type, the number of lanes the vector will have varies. For example, 128-bit vectors have four `f32` lanes and two `f64` lanes.
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The supported element types are as follows:
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* **Floating Point:** `f32`, `f64`
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* **Signed Integers:** `i8`, `i16`, `i32`, `i64`, `i128`, `isize`
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* **Unsigned Integers:** `u8`, `u16`, `u32`, `u64`, `u128`, `usize`
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* **Masks:** `mask8`, `mask16`, `mask32`, `mask64`, `mask128`, `masksize`
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Floating point, signed integers, and unsigned integers are the [primitive types](https://doc.rust-lang.org/core/primitive/index.html) you're already used to.
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The `mask` types are "truthy" values, but they use the number of bits in their name instead of just 1 bit like a normal `bool` uses.
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[simd-guide]: ./beginners-guide.md
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[zulip-project-portable-simd]: https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com/#narrow/stream/257879-project-portable-simd
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[stdarch]: https://github.com/rust-lang/stdarch
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[docs]: https://rust-lang.github.io/portable-simd/core_simd
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