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Compilers: Incrementally and Extensibly (2024)

(okmij.org)
143 points todsacerdoti | 1 comments | 05 Apr 25 12:55 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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norir ◴[05 Apr 25 16:44 UTC] No.43594752[source]▶
The hardest part of writing a compiler is designing a language. In my opinion, most compiler courses seem too fixated on the implementation details. The fact that this course targets x86 already misses the mark for me. Computers are very fast, there is no reason to start with a language that translates to asm. This is incidental complexity that distracts from language design.
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1. wseqyrku ◴[05 Apr 25 17:04 UTC] No.43594903[source]▶
> The hardest part of writing a compiler is designing a language.

That's a completely separate field. If you want to learn about language design you should study that, though it helps if you have some background on both to get started with either one.