←back to thread

Compilers: Incrementally and Extensibly (2024)

(okmij.org)
143 points todsacerdoti | 1 comments | 05 Apr 25 12:55 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
Show context
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.
replies(4): >>43594903 #>>43594913 #>>43594938 #>>43595205 #
1. tiu ◴[05 Apr 25 17:09 UTC] No.43594938[source]▶
Regarding the language design part, many universities I know of offer a {Advanced} Programming Languages class later on after a Compilers 101 class and that is where many of the topics like EBNF, Grammar Design along with different constructs are done.

Besides, for someone learning it for the first time I think designing a new language seems a bit difficult.