Qemu Tcg Backend Adaptation

QEMU TCG Backend Adaptation

Use this domain skill for host backend work under tcg//: instruction encoders, TCG_TARGET_HAS_*, constraints, tcg_out_op, qemu load/store paths, vector emission, and generated host-code bugs.

Flow dependencies

1. Start with qemu-flow-plan.
2. Put host-code logs, TCG dumps, temporary disassembly, benchmark notes, and review files under build/agent//.
3. Use qemu-rlcr-loop for implementation/debug rounds.
4. Use qemu-build for host backend builds.
5. Use qemu-debug for TCG logs and one-insn-per-tb.
6. Use qemu-model-verification for final evidence.

Hard policy boundary

Do not produce source code intended for QEMU upstream submission. Do not add DCO or review trailers.

Backend contract

A backend change is correct only when these agree:

• IR op semantics from include/tcg/tcg-opc.h and docs/devel/tcg-ops.rst;
• host feature flag in tcg-target-has.h;
• operand constraints in tcg-target-con-str.h and tcg-target-con-set.h;
• register class/reserved-register assumptions in tcg-target.h;
• tcg_out_op, vector emission, or qemu_ld/st implementation in tcg-target.c.inc;
• tests/logs proving the native path or intentional generic expansion.

Do not enable TCG_TARGET_HAS_* before constraints and emission support are complete.

Classify the change

Record one category in the plan:

• new host instruction encoder;
• native emission for existing TCG op;
• optional op enablement;
• constraint/register allocation fix;
• qemu_ld/st or atomic path;
• vector op support;
• host feature gating/runtime CPU detection;
• code generation bug investigation.

Emission checklist

Check:

• immediate ranges and sign extension;
• i32 result extension on 64-bit hosts;
• signed vs unsigned conditions;
• branch displacement and relocation/pool handling;
• clobbers and call ABI;
• scalar vs vector register classes;
• host endianness;
• constant materialization;
• instruction-cache flush needs.

Keep code generation paths allocation-free and simple.

qemu_ld/st and atomics

Verify separately:

• MemOp size, sign, and endianness;
• TLB fast path vs slow path labels;
• i128 register pairing;
• user-mode vs system-mode differences;
• guest atomicity vs host capability;
• helper calls and clobbers;
• unaligned behavior.

Vector rules

For vectors, verify:

• host vector feature detection;
• v64/v128/v256 and specific op flags;
• element size coverage;
• constant operand forms;
• scalar fallback vs vector path;
• tcg_can_emit_vec_op() / tcg_expand_vec_op() behavior.

Verification expectations

• Build the backend on the host.
• Run focused tests/tcg when available.
• Capture TCG IR and host-code logs proving native emission or fallback.
• Check unsupported host features remain disabled.
• Use one-insn-per-tb when frontend/backend attribution is unclear.

Upstream references

• QEMU code provenance and AI policy: docs/devel/code-provenance.rst.
• TCG IR semantics: docs/devel/tcg-ops.rst.
• TCG internals: docs/devel/tcg.rst.
• Backend examples: tcg/aarch64/, tcg/riscv64/, tcg/loongarch64/.
• Core declarations: include/tcg/tcg.h, include/tcg/tcg-opc.h, include/tcg/tcg-op-common.h.

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: processmission
• Source: processmission/oh-my-qemu
• License: MIT
• Homepage: https://processmission.github.io/oh-my-qemu/

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.