On the implementation of GNU Prolog

Abstract

GNU Prolog is a general-purpose implementation of the Prolog language, which distinguishes itself from most other systems by being, above all else, a native-code compiler which produces stand-alone executables which do not rely on any bytecode emulator or meta-interpreter. Other aspects which stand out include the explicit organization of the Prolog system as a multipass compiler, where intermediate representations are materialized, in Unix compiler tradition. GNU Prolog also includes an extensible and high-performance finite-domain constraint solver, integrated with the Prolog language but implemented using independent lower-level mechanisms. This paper discusses the main issues involved in designing and implementing GNU Prolog: requirements, system organization, performance, and portability issues as well as its position with respect to other Prolog system implementations and the ISO standardization initiative.