Chestnut: a GPU programming language for non-experts

Graphics processing units (GPUs) are powerful devices capable of rapid parallel computation. GPU programming, however, can be quite difficult, limiting its use to experienced programmers and keeping it out of reach of a large number of potential users. We present Chestnut, a domainspecific GPU parallel programming language for parallel multidimensional grid applications. Chestnut is designed to greatly simplify the process of programming on the GPU, making GPU computing accessible to computational scientists who have little or no parallel programming experience, as well as a useful and powerful language for more experienced programmers. In addition, Chestnut has an optional GUI programming interface that makes GPU computing accessible to even novice programmers. Chestnut is intuitive and easy to use, while still powerful in the types of parallelism it can express. The language provides a single simple parallel construct that allows a Chestnut programmer to “think sequentially” in...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2012
• Where: PPOPP
• Authors: Andrew Stromme, Ryan Carlson, Tia Newhall
• Keywords: Distributed And Parallel Computing, Novice Programmers, Parallel Programming Experience, Parallel Programming Language, PPOPP 2012