From Kernels to Standards: How Kokkos and Modern C++ Future-Proof Critical Simulation Codes
Date:
I was invited to present in the Advances in Applied Computer Science Invited Speaker Series at Los Alamos National Laboratory. In this seminar, I presented a vision for the future of high-performance scientific software, bridging the gap between hardware-specific kernels and international programming standards. I detailed how the Kokkos ecosystem enables performance portability across current exascale architectures (e.g., Frontier, Aurora, El Capitan) and explored the ongoing efforts to integrate these patterns directly into the ISO C++ Standard (C++23 and C++26). By championing features such as mdspan and standard linear algebra interfaces, we are creating a more resilient and sustainable software stack for the next generation of computational science.
Abstract: Modern high-performance computing (HPC) demands architectural agility to effectively leverage heterogeneous exascale systems. This seminar explores how the Kokkos performance portability ecosystem enables critical scientific simulation codes to achieve optimal performance across diverse hardware without sacrificing code longevity or maintainability. We will detail how Kokkos mediates the gap between low-level performance (kernels) and high-level productivity. Furthermore, we will discuss the crucial role of international C++ standardization—informed directly by HPC needs—in securing the long-term viability and portability of C++ as the foundational language for national security and exascale science.