| # StableHLO Bytecode |
| |
| ## MLIR bytecode format |
| |
| StableHLO uses the [MLIR Bytecode Format](https://mlir.llvm.org/docs/BytecodeFormat/) |
| for serialization. |
| |
| The MLIR Bytecode Format is a serialization format used to encode MLIR |
| programs. From the [MLIR RFC](https://discourse.llvm.org/t/rfc-a-binary-serialization-format-for-mlir/63518), |
| it was built for "the benefits that a binary format brings to the table; namely |
| serialization speed and size, mmap capabilities, more easily enabled |
| versioning, etc." Performance, serialization size, and memory tests were run |
| using large test from various dialects to validate the format. |
| |
| MLIR bytecode was not specifically built to make MLIR stable, but the MLIR RFC |
| notes that it would be possible to provide compatibility guarantees on top of |
| this format, which we successfully did for StableHLO |
| (see [compatibility.md](compatibility.md)). |
