Mind-bending new programming language for GPUs just dropped...

Summary

The Code Report introduces Bend, a revolutionary programming language that simplifies parallel computing. Traditionally complex and error-prone, parallelism is now accessible through Bend's high-level syntax resembling Python. By leveraging interaction combinators and a graph-based computation model, Bend automatically optimizes code to run on multiple CPU and GPU cores. This results in significant performance improvements, as demonstrated by an algorithm that runs in minutes on a single thread but seconds on multiple threads and even faster on an Nvidia RTX GPU, showcasing Bend's potential to transform coding efficiency.

Takeaways

• 🌟 A new programming language called Bend has emerged, promising to simplify parallel computing for developers.
• 🔄 Parallel computing is likened to a superpower, allowing complex problems to be solved much faster using multiple processors.
• 🎼 The challenge of parallel computing is compared to conducting a symphony, where one wrong move can lead to disaster.
• 🚀 Bend claims to handle parallel execution automatically, requiring no knowledge of CUDA, locks, mutexes, or regex from the programmer.
• 🛠️ Bend's syntax is similar to Python, making it accessible for developers familiar with high-level languages.
• 📚 The concept of interaction combinators, foundational to Bend, dates back to the 1990s and is implemented in a runtime called the Higher Order Virtual Machine (HOVM).
• 💻 Bend is implemented in Rust, ensuring performance and reliability for the language's execution environment.
• 🔧 Bend replaces traditional loops with 'folds', a feature that allows for parallel processing of recursive data types like lists or trees.
• 🔄 The 'bend' keyword in Bend is used to construct recursive data types, which is the counterpart to the 'fold' operation.
• ⏱️ A significant performance boost is demonstrated when running an algorithm on Bend, reducing execution time from minutes to seconds.
• 🎉 Bend's ability to utilize both CPU and GPU resources without code modification showcases its potential for high-performance computing.

Q & A

What is the significance of the new programming language mentioned in the script?

The new programming language, Bend, is significant because it promises to enable parallelism in computing without requiring the programmer to have knowledge of complex parallel programming techniques such as CUDA, locks, mutexes, or regex.

Why is parallel computing considered a 'superpower' for programmers?

Parallel computing is considered a 'superpower' because it allows programmers to solve problems much faster by utilizing multiple processors or cores simultaneously, potentially reducing the time from weeks to days.

What is the main challenge with running code in parallel?

Running code in parallel is challenging because it requires careful management to avoid issues such as race conditions, deadlocks, and thread starvation, which can lead to disastrous results if not handled correctly.

How does Bend simplify the process of writing parallel algorithms?

Bend simplifies the process by allowing programmers to write high-level code similar to Python, with the language's runtime taking care of the parallel execution details automatically.

What is the difference between running code in a single thread and using multiple threads?

Running code in a single thread means only one operation can happen at a time, limiting the performance. Using multiple threads allows for concurrent operations, significantly increasing the efficiency and speed of execution.

What is the role of 'interaction combinators' in Bend?

Interaction combinators in Bend structure the elements of computation into a graph, allowing the computation to progress by following a set of rules that rewrite the computation for parallel execution.

Why is the Higher Order Virtual Machine (HBVM) not meant to be used directly?

HBVM is a lower-level runtime that implements the concept of interaction combinators. It is not meant to be used directly because it is more complex and less accessible to programmers, which is why Bend was built as a higher-level language to interface with it.

How is Bend's syntax similar to Python, and what is its implementation language?

Bend's syntax is designed to be very similar to Python, making it easy for developers familiar with Python to learn and use. The language itself is implemented in Rust.

What is the 'fold' operation in Bend, and how does it differ from loops in other languages?

In Bend, the 'fold' operation is used instead of loops. It works like a search and replace for data types, allowing recursive data types to be consumed in parallel, which is a different approach from the iterative loops found in languages like Python.

How does the performance of an algorithm change when executed with Bend's parallel capabilities?

The performance of an algorithm can be significantly improved when executed with Bend's parallel capabilities. The script demonstrates an algorithm that takes 10 minutes or more on a single thread, but only about 30 seconds when utilizing all 24 threads on a CPU, and even faster on a GPU.

What command is used to execute Bend code with GPU acceleration?

The command 'bend run-cu' is used to execute Bend code with GPU acceleration, allowing the code to run on CUDA-enabled GPUs for further performance improvements.