Optimizing GoAWK with a bytecode compiler and virtual machine

[ben...@gmail.com]

Recently I switched (so to speak) my GoAWK interpreter from using a tree-walking interpreter to a bytecode compiler with a virtual machine, and got a noticeable performance boost. Write-up here if you're interested: https://benhoyt.com/writings/goawk-compiler-vm/

TLDR: It's significantly more code, but also 10-20% faster. It'll get even faster when Go implements "switch" using jump tables (looking forward to https://go-review.googlesource.com/c/go/+/357330/).

-Ben

[Kamil Ziemian]

I will try to follow development of GoAWK.