.HSACO File Extension
Heterogeneous System Architecture Code Object
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What is an HSACO file?
An HSACO file is a compiled file that contains low-level instructions for AMD GPUs that support the Heterogeneous System Architecture (HSA), an open standard that allows processors to efficiently share memory and work together on parallel computing tasks. It stores binary instructions AMD’s ROCm (Radeon Open Compute) runtime system executes to run GPU kernels on AMD graphics architectures, such as Graphics Core Next (GCN) and RDNA. HSACO files are typically generated as part of a GPU computing workflow using the hipcc tool, which is the compiler in AMD’s HIP (Heterogeneous-Compute Interface for Portability) platform.
More Information
High-performance computing (HPC), scientific simulations, machine learning, and other computationally intensive applications primarily utilize the HSACO format to leverage parallel GPU processing. Developers create the files by compiling source code written in languages, like C++, with GPU-specific extensions. Instead of targeting a CPU, the compiler generates code meant to be executed directly by the GPU. Each HSACO file is tailored for a specific GPU architecture, which helps optimize performance on that hardware.
NOTE: The Heterogeneous System Architecture Foundation (HSA Foundation) maintains the Heterogeneous System Architecture Code Object (HSACO) format.
How to open an HSACO file
HSACO files are not meant to be opened or modified by users. Instead, they contain binary data that the GPU executes directly.
However, developers and engineers—typically working within the AMD ROCm ecosystem—can analyze the contents of HSACO files using specialized tools. Programs such as the AMDGPU Disassembler, Radeon GPU Analyzer, and ROCm Development Tools allow users to inspect the compiled code, verify performance characteristics, and debug GPU kernels.