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This course is an introduction to understanding and creating simple compilers using the object-oriented programming language of Java. Students will be able to describe the various phases a compiler goes through to translate the code the programmer uses so the computer processor understands. Students will also learn the importance of creating a language grammar specification and how that grammar is implemented in a compiler. By the end of the course, students will have built a toy compiler that implements a small computer language for an imaginary virtual computer among other projects that cover numerous aspects of compiler development.

The native language of a computer’s processor is complex so programming in that native language is very difficult. Programming languages are one of the most important building blocks a programmer has since it makes the programming process much easier and enables the creation of the applications that everyone uses in a timely and efficient manner. This course will distinguish between low-level and high-level languages and define a programming language processor. The class will also look at the syntax, contextual constraints and semantics specifications of programming languages and be introduced to a case study programming language called Triangle.

This course explains the concepts of two major types of language processors: translators and compilers. A translator converts from a source language to a target language in a semantically equivalent manner. A compiler translates a high-level language into a low-level language.

Course Objectives

• By the end of this course, students will describe the specifications of a programming language, differentiate the stages in creating a compiler for a programming language and implement a primitive compiler using Java.