Compiler Design Tutorial

A compiler is software that translates or converts a program written in a high-level language (Source Language) into a low-level language (Machine Language or Assembly Language). Compiler design is the process of developing a compiler.

• The Key objectives of compiler design are to automate the translation process, check the correctness of input code, and reporting errors in source code.
• It acts as the "translator" of the programming world, bridging the gap between human-readable code and machine-understandable instructions.
• It involves many stages, like lexical analysis, syntax analysis (parsing), semantic analysis, code generation, code optimisation, etc.
• Most of the early high-level languages, like C and C++ were compiled. However, modern languages like Java and Python use both interpreter and compiler. Please note that the compiler only translates, but interpreter runs as well.

Introduction

Explains how high-level programs are converted into machine code.

1. Introduction
2. Phases of a Compiler
3. Single Pass vs Two Passes
4. Compiler construction tools
5. Symbol Table in Compiler
6. Error Handling in Compiler Design
7. Generations of Programming Languages

Lexical Analysis

First compiler phase that converts source code into tokens.

1. Lexical Analysis
2. Program to detect tokens in a C program
3. Flex (Fast Lexical Analyzer Generator )

Quiz on Lexical Analysis

Syntax Analysis

Verifies the grammatical structure of a program.

1. Introduction to Syntax Analysis
2. FIRST and FOLLOW
3. Classification of Context Free Grammars(CFG)
4. Ambiguous Grammar
5. Introduction to Parsers
6. Classification of top down parsers
7. Bottom Up Parser
8. Shift Reduce Parser in Compiler
9. SLR, CLR and LALR Parsers
10. Operator grammar and precedence parser

Syntax Directed Translation

Uses grammar-based semantic rules to guide program translation.

1. Syntax Directed Translation
2. S – attributed and L – attributed SDTs in Syntax directed translation

Quiz on Parsing and Syntax Directed Translation

Code Generation and Optimization

Transform intermediate code into efficient target code.

1. Code Optimization
2. Intermediate Code Generation
3. Issues in the design of a code generator
4. Three address code in Compiler
5. Detection of a Loop in Three Address Code
6. Introduction of Object Code
7. Data flow analysis in Compiler

Quiz on Code Generation and Optimization

Runtime Environments

Deal with how programs are executed and managed at runtime.

1. Static and Dynamic Scoping
2. Runtime Environments
3. Linker
4. Loader in C/C++
5. Developing a Linux based shell
6. Storage Allocation Strategies

Quick Links

• Last Minute Notes
• GATE | Previous Years Questions
• Quiz on Compiler Design
• Compiler Design (CD) for GATE Exam