Compiler Concepts and Stages

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What is a compiler?

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A compiler translates programs from one language to another, typically converting high-level code to low-level machine code and reporting errors for debugging.

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Stages of a compiler: Analysis and Synthesis

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1. Analysis: Breaks source code into pieces and creates an intermediate representation. 2. Synthesis: Constructs the target program from the intermediate representation.

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Lexical Analysis

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Scanning reads source code characters and groups them into tokens, converting a stream of characters into identifiers, reserved words, integers, operators, and special symbols.

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Syntax Analysis

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Parsing groups tokens using a context-free grammar, defining valid structures in the programming language and producing a parse tree.

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Semantic Analysis

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Checks for semantic errors in syntactically correct code and ensures proper use of variables and function arguments.

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Intermediate Code Generation

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Generates a common intermediate representation, such as three-address code, which translates complex expressions into simpler instructions.

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Intermediate Code Optimization

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Streamlines code for faster execution by eliminating redundant code and simplifying expressions.

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Object Code Generation

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Generates machine or assembly code from intermediate representation and selects memory locations for variables.

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Error Handling in Compilers

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1. Lexical: Detects invalid tokens. 2. Syntax: Reports invalid token combinations. 3. Semantic: Identifies type errors and other logical issues.

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One-Pass vs Multi-Pass Compilers

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One-Pass compilers perform multiple phases simultaneously in a single read-through, while Multi-Pass compilers separate phases, reading the source multiple times.