Inverse compiling for program documentation

Abstract

Although higher level languages have achieved wide-spread use for program production, much system software is still being written in assembler language for reasons such as efficiency of code produced, lack of appropriate high level languages or compilers, costs of compilations, or compatibility with older software. Code efficiency is probably the most often cited reason for using assembler language since it affects the saleability of a manufacturer's product much more than whether the code is easy to understand and modify or is well-documented. Code efficiency directly affects system performance under benchmark tests, one of the most widely used comparators for computer selection. The future development of very large cheap and fast processor and main memory components will influence how important it will be to continue programming in low level "efficient" languages, but the use of these languages will probably continue on a large scale for at least another decade.