Various methods are provided directed to a compiler-guided software accelerator for iterative HADOOP® jobs. A method includes identifying intermediate data, generated by an iterative HADOOP® application, below a predetermined threshold size and used less than a predetermined threshold time period. The intermediate data is stored in a memory device. The method further includes minimizing input, output, and synchronization overhead for the intermediate data by selectively using at any given time any one of a Message Passing Interface and Distributed File System as a communication layer. The Message Passing Interface is co-located with the HADOOP® Distributed File System.