modules.rst

Modules

.. currentmodule:: llvmlite.binding

Although they conceptually represent the same thing, modules in the :ref:`IR layer <ir-layer>` and modules in the :ref:`binding layer <binding-layer>` do not have the same roles and do not expose the same API.

While modules in the IR layer allow you to build and group functions together, modules in the binding layer give access to compilation, linking and execution of code. To distinguish between them, the module class in the binding layer is called :class:`ModuleRef` as opposed to :class:`llvmlite.ir.Module`.

To go from the IR layer to the binding layer, use the :func:`parse_assembly` function.

Factory functions

You can create a module from the following factory functions:

• .. function:: parse_assembly(llvmir, context=None)
  
     Parse the given *llvmir*, a string containing some LLVM IR
     code. If parsing is successful, a new :class:`ModuleRef`
     instance is returned.
  
     * context: an instance of :class:`LLVMContextRef`.
  
        Defaults to the global context.
  
     EXAMPLE: You can obtain *llvmir* by calling ``str()`` on an
     :class:`llvmlite.ir.Module` object.
  
  

• .. function:: parse_bitcode(bitcode, context=None)
  
     Parse the given *bitcode*, a bytestring containing the
     LLVM bitcode of a module. If parsing is successful, a new
     :class:`ModuleRef` instance is returned.
  
     * context: an instance of :class:`LLVMContextRef`.
  
        Defaults to the global context.
  
     EXAMPLE: You can obtain the *bitcode* by calling
     :meth:`ModuleRef.as_bitcode`.
  
  
  

The ModuleRef class

A wrapper around an LLVM module object. The following methods and properties are available:

• .. method:: as_bitcode()
  
     Return the bitcode of this module as a bytes object.
  
  

• .. method:: get_function(name)
  
     Get the function with the given *name* in this module.
  
     If found, a :class:`ValueRef` is returned. Otherwise,
     :exc:`NameError` is raised.
  
  

• .. method:: get_global_variable(name)
  
     Get the global variable with the given *name* in this
     module.
  
     If found, a :class:`ValueRef` is returned. Otherwise,
     :exc:`NameError` is raised.
  
  

• .. method:: get_struct_type(name)
  
    Get the struct type with the given *name* in this module.
  
    If found, a :class:`TypeRef` is returned. Otherwise,
    :exc:`NameError` is raised.
  
  

• .. method:: link_in(other, preserve=False)
  
     Link the *other* module into this module, resolving
     references wherever possible.
  
     * If *preserve* is ``True``, the other module is first
       copied in order to preserve its contents.
     * If *preserve* is ``False``, the other module is not
       usable after this call.
  
  

• .. method:: verify()
  
     Verify the module's correctness. On error, raise
     :exc:`RuntimeError`.
  
  

• .. attribute:: data_layout
  
     The data layout string for this module. This attribute
     can be set.
  
  

• .. attribute:: functions
  
     An iterator over the functions defined in this module.
     Each function is a :class:`ValueRef` instance.
  
  

• .. attribute:: global_variables
  
     An iterator over the global variables defined in this
     module. Each global variable is a :class:`ValueRef`
     instance.
  
  

• .. attribute:: struct_types
  
     An iterator over the struct types defined in this module.
     Each type is a :class:`TypeRef` instance.
  
  

• .. attribute:: name
  
     The module's identifier, as a string. This attribute can
     be set.
  
  

• .. attribute:: source_file
  
     The module's reported source file, as a string. This
     attribute can not be set.
  
  

• .. attribute:: triple
  
     The platform "triple" string for this module. This
     attribute can be set.