ESSENTIALS OF COMPILER DESIGN METHODS WITH EXERCISES AND SOLUTIONS

Abstract

C ompiler design is among the fundamental areas of computer science that relies on how a high-level programming language can be translated and executed by a machine. The compilation process can be understood through the study of its main phases: lexical analysis, syntax analysis, semantic analysis, generation of an intermediate code, optimization, and code generation. This handout presents the main concepts and explains the formal and practical tools underlying the phases of the compiler. The objective is to equip students with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills to understand how compilers are built. It also aims to enhance problem-solving and algorithmic thinking skills for students interested in understanding compilers' internal functioning or building their own programming language and compiler. This handout has been created for the subject titled "Compiler Design" for third-year Computer Science Bachelor's students, specializing in Information Systems (SI), at Abdelhamid Ibn Badis University, Faculty of Exact Sciences and Computer Science, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. It is structured according to the course syllabus as follows: Chapter I. Introduction to the Internal Structure and Process of a Compiler . This chapter introduces the main compilation modules and explains their internal functioning. Chapter II. Lexical Analysis. This chapter addresses the first step in compiler analysis: recognizing the lexical units (or tokens) that compose a language. Building on students' prior knowledge of language theory, it presents methods for converting regular expressions (used to define lexical units) into finite state automata, along with techniques for their determinization and minimization. The chapter also introduces tools that support the generation of lexical analyzers, with a focus on Flex, one of the most widely used tools in compiler design.