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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: 0.32s | 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. f1shy ◴[05 Apr 25 17:48 UTC] No.43595205[source]▶
I disagree. First of all, you can write a compiler for any existing language. But second, inhave experience writing compilers and interpreters. For me the hardest was always to give good information/feedback on errors. Because the compiler cannot go ahead, means it is “confused” eliminates that confusion to help the user is very much non trivial.