Intel® C++ Compiler 16.0 User and Reference Guide
This topic only applies to Intel® Many Integrated Core Architecture (Intel® MIC Architecture).
Intrinsic functions are assembly-coded functions that allow you to use C/C++ function calls and variables in place of assembly instructions.
Intrinsics are expanded inline eliminating function call overhead. Providing the same benefit as using inline assembly, intrinsics improve code readability, assist instruction scheduling, and help reduce debugging.
Intrinsics provide access to instructions that cannot be generated using the standard constructs of the C and C++ languages.
The compiler provides intrinsics to enable vector processing capabilities for data intensive workloads. These intrinsics correspond to a new set of instructions referred as Intel® Initial Many Core Instructions (Intel® IMCI).
These instructions are extensions of the existing vector graphic streaming SIMD instructions, which are designed to enhance the performance of Intel® 64 architecture-based processors for data intensive programs including audio, video, and graphics processing.
For each instruction there are two corresponding intrinsics of which one is used for masked operations.
The prototypes for these intrinsics are available in the immintrin.h file.
You can enable these intrinsics within native code or offloaded code that is written to contain target-specific code.