Compiler

In this section, we explain how the powdr compiler reduces a program made of virtual and constrained machines to a set of AIRs.

Virtual machine reduction

The first step is to reduce virtual machines to constrained machines. This step is run on all machines and does not affect constrained machines. As a result of this step, for each machine:

• Local instructions are reduced to constraints
• External instructions are reduced to links
• Functions are reduced to operations

Block enforcement

Block enforcement applies on constrained machines. It makes sure that the operation_id is constant within each machine block.

AIR generation

At this point, all machines contain only:

• an optional degree
• constraints
• links to other machines
• operations

Let's define AIR as a data structure with only these elements.

Starting from the main machine's type, we create a tree of AIR objects by traversing its submachines, recursively instantiating each machine as an AIR. Let's define the AIR tree as the resulting tree.