2024.2 DPC++/C++ compiler released!

[Alex_Y_Intel]

2024.2 DPC++/C++ is ready with the newly released Intel® oneAPI Base Toolkit 2024.2

Highlighted features: 

1. Extended CPU Feature Support: New checks for CPU features (APX, USER_MSR, AVX10.1) allow software to utilize these features if available, enhancing performance.
2. Optimized ABI Implementation: Improved handling of stack alignment to reduce performance impact, especially at program entry points.
3. Low-Level Hardware Control Enhancements: Added support for WRMSRNS, MSRLIST, and PBNDKB intrinsics and CPUID enabling, providing more control for developers.
4. CCMP and CTEST Optimizations: New support for these optimizations reduces code branches and minimizes performance issues caused by branch misprediction.
5. Compress Loop Optimization: Improved handling of specific loop conditions to enhance performance and reduce cache pollution.
6. SYCL Level Zero Backend Improvement: Removal of a manual workaround simplifies usage and improves performance, particularly for deep learning applications.
7. Profiling with Graphs: Warnings (instead of errors) will be issued for certain profiling properties, with future full support planned to help optimize deep learning workloads.
8. Enhanced Memory Management: New strategy to handle large private memory usage in kernels, improving memory management and performance.
9. Handling Coordinates in Packed VNNIed Matrix: Coordinates now return in VNNIed matrix format, with the shape expressed in the non-VNNI logical matrix.
10. Floating-Point Accuracy Control: Users can now control the accuracy of floating-point math functions, balancing performance and accuracy.
11. Enhanced SLM Functions: Improved functions to accept larger data types, offering more flexibility for developers.
12. Removed FPGA Support: FPGA support has been removed; refer to specific release notes for FPGA-related updates.
13. Floating-Point Model Update: The default floating-point model now honors NaNs and infinities, changing the default optimization behavior and potentially affecting performance. Users can revert to the previous behavior if needed.

Download the Toolkit here.

[Jooli]

The Intel® one API Base Toolkit 2024.2 introduces a variety of enhancements in both CPU support and performance optimization. Key improvements include support for new CPU features (APX, USER_MSR, AVX10.1), optimized ABI implementation, and enhanced memory management, all aimed at improving performance and developer control. It also features better handling of floating-point accuracy, loop optimizations, and extended support for deep learning applications through SYCL Level Zero Backend. While FPGA support has been removed, the toolkit offers better profiling, low-level hardware control, and new optimizations for minimizing branch mispredictions.