Optimizing C for the M68HC11 processor

The outputs of two available cross compilers for the M68HC11 processor are examined to develop an understanding of the conditions affecting the object code size efficiency of an optimizing C compiler for the M68HC11 processor. The types of optimizations that reduce the size of the code and are not currently implemented by these compilers are described and quantified. In addition, since the object code sizes of the C programs compiled by these compilers are considerably larger than the object code sizes of comparable assembly language programs, these differences are also examined. The reasons for these differences are also described and quantified. Implementation recommendations are then presented.