Intel – at one with APIs
Blog|by James Roberts|4 September 2019

Intel is working on an exciting One API project. The project addresses the complexities introduced by the diverse nature of APIs deployed across multiple hardware architectures – the latter being something Intel knows a lot about!
But, there is something I should clarify before taking a further look at Intel’s One API project. OneAPI (yes, I know they sound similar!) is a standard used within the mobile communications industry. OneAPI’s allows Communication Service Providers (CSPs) to expose their networks. Intel’s One API is a very different project which Bill Savage, Intel vice president and general manager of Compute Performance Developer Products, describes below.
“One API is a project to deliver a set of developer tools that provide a unified programming model that simplifies development for workloads across diverse architectures. As our breadth of compute has grown to include specialized accelerators, Intel will deliver software solutions that allow developers to get the full performance out of the hardware.”
The purpose of One API is to eliminate the need to maintain separate code bases, multiple programming languages and different tools and workflows needed for different hardware architectures. The hardware environments which carry today’s data-centric workloads might include scalar (CPU), vector (GPU), matrix (AI) and spatial (FPGA) platforms. Intel believes developers can maximise the performance of their applications if they are designed to take advantage of the technology provided by these more advanced hardware architectures.
If you’ll excuse the pun, I’ll draw a parallel here with Intel’s Parallel Studio XE. This is a comprehensive toolset for C, C++, Fortran and Python programmers which allows developers to work with the latest techniques in vectorisation, multi-threading, multi-node parallelisation and memory optimisation. This is Intel, one of the world’s leading chip and memory manufacturers, providing the best software development solutions for their multi-core chipsets. AI, ML and analytics are no longer niche topics. They have become mainstream and the demands they make on system resources need to be met by a well coupled approach to the design and optimisation of both the software and hardware.
Sticking with Parallel Studio for just a moment, the Intel MPI Library is an example of the sort of problem Intel is addressing with One API. Here the issue is about developing your app once and being able to choose at runtime whether to deploy over TCP/IP, Omni-Path, InfiniBand or some other multi-cluster interconnect. One MPI Library can be used to develop, maintain and test for multiple fabric types.
One API is similar in concept. In this case, we’re talking about a unified programming model that offers full native code performance across a range of hardware architectures including CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs and AI accelerators. Here’s a summary of what Open API contains.
- A new direct programming language. Data Parallel C++ (DPC++) is an open, cross-industry alternative to single architecture proprietary languages. It delivers parallel programming productivity and performance using a programming model developers will recognise.
- An API-based programming. The libraries span several workload domains that benefit from acceleration. Library functions are custom coded for each target architecture.
- Analysis and debug tools. These are based on enhanced versions of Intel’s analysis and debug tools. They are designed to support DPC++ across the range of scalar, vector, matrix and spatial Intel hardware architectures.
Intel is planning to release a developer beta in Q4 this year, together with additional details about the One API project. We will keep you posted on Code Matters as the project unfolds.
Grey Matter is proud to be an Intel Software Elite Reseller.
Intel oneAPI has now launched with a release date of 8 December. Intel oneAPI Toolkits includes a range of software development tools for AI, HPC and IoT. We are hosting a technical webinar about these toolkits on 2 December.
Contact Grey Matter
If you have any questions or want some extra information, complete the form below and one of the team will be in touch ASAP. If you have a specific use case, please let us know and we'll help you find the right solution faster.
By submitting this form you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy and Website Terms of Use.
James Roberts
Related News
[WEBINAR RECORDING] A Guide to Microsoft Teams Phone & Teams Rooms: Mastering Modern Communication
As your organisation becomes increasingly more mobile, you’ll need communication solutions that meet the requirements of your hybrid workforce. Join our webinar to see how Microsoft Teams Phone and Teams Rooms can revolutionise your communication and collaboration efforts.
New JetBrains UI
Run and debug your application more easily in the new JetBrains UI The new JetBrains Run and Debug UI brings significant improvements to enhance the coding experience. Visual enhancements reduce widget clutter, allowing seamless focus on code. For instance, the...
Seamless Data Protection: The Perfect Marriage of Veeam and Wasabi
In today’s data-driven world, businesses face the critical challenge of ensuring the safety and accessibility of their ever-expanding volumes of data. As organizations increasingly turn to cloud solutions for data storage and backup, the combination of Veeam and Wasabi emerges...
Safeguarding Success: The Case for Acronis and the Advantages of Purchasing Through Grey Matter
In the fast-paced and interconnected world of business, data has become the lifeblood of organisations. The ability to securely store, manage, and recover data is crucial for business continuity and success. Acronis, a global leader in cyber protection, offers a...