Programming Language Implementation

Good craftsmen know their tools, and compilers are amongst the most important tools that programmers use. There are many ways in which familiarity with compilers helps programmers. For example, knowledge of semantic analysis helps programmers understand error messages, and knowledge of code generation techniques helps programmers debug problems at assembly language level. The technologies used in compiler development are also useful when implementing other kinds of programs. The concepts and tools used in the analysis phases of a compiler are useful for any program whose input has a structure that is non-trivial to recognize, while those used in the synthesis phases are useful for any program that generates commands for another system. This subject provides an understanding of the main principles of programming language implementation, as well as first hand experience of the application of those principles.

• 1Describe important concepts and techniques in programming language implementation
• 2Exploit their knowledge of compilers to be more effective programmers
• 3Use analysis tools to help implement programs whose input has a structure that is non-trivial to recognise
• 4Use synthesis tools to help implement programs that generate commands for other programs