Compilerdependent

Compilerdependent is an adjective describing software whose behavior or interface depends on the particular compiler used to build it rather than the language specification. Code with compilerdependent aspects is not guaranteed to be portable across toolchains and may change with compiler versions, settings, or target platforms.

In practice, language standards distinguish undefined behavior, implementation-defined behavior, and unspecified behavior. Compilerdependent is an informal label for phenomena outside the standard and not formally documented by the implementation. Such phenomena may arise from non-standard extensions, optimization-driven code generation, compiler-specific calling conventions, name mangling, and platform-specific struct layout.

Common sources include inline assembly, compiler extensions, and reliance on non-portable aspects of the application binary interface. Examples are assuming a particular order of evaluation of function arguments or depending on a specific type size or memory representation, which can vary between compilers or platforms.

Mitigation involves using standard features, portable data types, and thorough testing across toolchains. When compilerdependent behavior is unavoidable, isolate it behind well-documented interfaces, specify migration paths for new toolchains, and employ conditional compilation and feature checks. Developers should assess compilerdependent aspects when planning portability, maintenance, and cross-platform support.