The OpenMP Architecture Review Board (ARB) has released Technical Report 7, the final preview and public comment draft for the future OpenMP API, version 5.0. Version 5.0 will represent a major leap forward to ready the OpenMP programming model for Exascale computing. Users and implementers are encouraged to provide feedback on the proposed API. Feedback can be posted on the OpenMP Forum.
‘Technical Report 7 demonstrates the importance of user feedback to the OpenMP specification,’ says Bronis de Supinski, the chair of the OpenMP Language Committee. ‘Users have indicated that several features are vitally important to them, such as multilevel memory support, deep copy, easy access to unified shared memory, and a descriptive loop construct. As a result of that feedback, OpenMP 5.0 will include all of these major additions.’
New Features included in Technical Report 7
Technical Report 7 (TR7) extends Technical Report 6 (TR6), the previous preview of version 5.0 that was released one year ago. The key features that are added in TR7 include:
- Various changes were made to support C++17 and Fortran 2008.
- Reverse offload is now supported, as extension of OpenMP support for accelerators.
- The canonical loop form was extended to permit non-rectangular loop nests.
- A clause was added to support hints that indicate data affinity of explicit tasks.
- A new metadirective to support performance portability by compile-time adaptation of OpenMP pragmas.
