Converting C into MIPS: Tools and Techniques

When working with low-level programming or embedded systems, developers often need to convert C code into assembly language for specific architectures like MIPS. This article explores the tools available for such conversions, including compilers, and provides detailed guidelines on the process.

Introduction to C-to-MIPS Conversion

Converting C code into MIPS assembly can be a valuable exercise for understanding the low-level behavior of your code in a real-world context. MIPS is one of the popular RISC architectures, widely used in embedded systems, supercomputers, and educational purposes.

Using Compilers to Generate MIPS Assembly

There are several compilers that can be used to generate MIPS assembly code from C source. One of the most popular is GCC (GNU Compiler Collection), which supports cross-compilation to MIPS. Below is an example of how to use GCC to compile C code into MIPS assembly on Linux.

Example with GCC

First, ensure that you have the necessary packages installed. On Ubuntu, you can install the cross-compiler using the following command:

sudo apt-get install gcc-5-mips-linux-gnu

Next, you can compile a C program to MIPS assembly:

gcc-5-mips-linux-gnu -c program.c

Then, use the objdump utility to disassemble the generated object file into MIPS assembly:

mipsel-linux-gnu-objdump -d -S program.o

Alternative Compilers and IDEs

For more specific or less common architectures, you can also use other compilers like Clang. Here is an example of how to specify MIPS compilation:

clang-10 --targetmips -print-supported-cpus

This command outputs a list of supported MIPS CPUs, allowing you to choose the specific architecture for your target. For example, if you want to target a specific processor:

clang-10 -targetmips -mcputmips5 -print-leh-ordering

Hand Translating C to MIPS Assembly

If you need to manually translate C code into MIPS assembly, you can refer to detailed examples and resources. For instance, a detailed answer by Joe Zbiciak on Stack Overflow provides a step-by-step guide on converting an ASCII hexadecimal value to a binary value in MIPS assembly. This approach can help you generate MIPS code by hand, which can be compared to the output from the compiler to verify correctness.

Conclusion

Converting C into MIPS assembly is a crucial skill for developers working with low-level systems and embedded devices. By using available compilers and following detailed guidelines, you can effectively translate your C code to MIPS assembly, ensuring both correctness and optimizing performance.