compiler-design

2026-09-23T04:06:42.751Z

Compiler Design

Course Code: IC 901A
Course Type: Advanced
Course Credits: 4

The course aims at understanding the working of compiler in detail so as to have knowledge of whole spectrum of language processing technology.

After completion of the course, student will:

CO1: Know concepts related to compilers and develop ability to deploy knowledge of compiler design in various related fields.
CO2: Have an understanding of the translation process from High Level Languages to Machine Level Language and apply these concepts in processing structured input.
CO3: Know the syntax and semantic analysis approaches for efficient code/program verification to be able to write efficient code.
CO4: Learn code optimization and runtime code synthesis and apply these concepts in real world applications.

Contents: Language Processing System, Translators - Interpreters, Assemblers, Compilers. Types of Compilers, Model of a compiler, phases of a compilation process, pass structure of compiler, Cousins of the compiler.
Hours: 6
Targeted Levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy: 1 and 2*
Learning Outcomes (LO):
- LO1: Describe the concepts of compilation method and structure of compiler.
- LO2: Able to distinguish between compiler and interpreter.
Resources: Book 1, Book 2 & Book 3 (Lecture), Online Resources 1 & 2
Assignment: Discussion on language processing and compilation process

Contents: Lexical Analysis, Tokens, Patterns, and Lexemes, Lexical analyzer design, The role of Lexical Analyzer, Input Buffering, Specification of tokens, and Recognition of tokens, Lexical Analyzer Generator Lex.
Hours: 4
Targeted Levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy: 1, 2 and 3*
Learning Outcomes (LO):
- LO1: Able to perform lexical analysis and apply the concept to process structured input in any application.
Resources: Book 1 & Book 3 (Lecture), Online Resources 1 & 2
Assignment: Discussion on Lexical Analyzer and Assignment regarding Lex Tool.

Contents: Role of Parser, Top-down Parsing- Brute-force approach, recursive descent parser and algorithms, Simple LL (1) grammar, LL (1) with null and without null rules grammars, predictive parsing. Bottom-up parsing- Handle of a right sentential form, Shift-reduce parsers, operator precedence parsing, LR parsing. Parser Generator YACC.
Hours: 10
Targeted Levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy: 1, 2, 3, and 6*
Learning Outcomes (LO):
- LO1: Student will have an understanding of parsing the structured input using grammatical rules.
- LO2: Implement different parsing algorithms.
- LO3: At this level, students will be able to perform lexical analysis and parsing to create applications like word processors and editors.
Resources: Book 1 & Book 3 (Lecture, illustration, and implementation), Online Resources 1 & 2
Assignment: Discussion and practice session on developing parser programs for different grammars. Assignment to develop programs for different parsing techniques.

Contents: Syntax-directed definition, Implementation of Syntax directed Translators Translation schemes, Design of Translation Schemes, Implementation of Syntax directed Translators. Intermediate code, postfix notation, Parse trees & syntax trees, three address codes, quadruple & triples, translation of assignment statements, Boolean expressions, statements that alter the flow of control, postfix translation.
Hours: 8
Targeted Levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy: 1, 2, 3 and 4*
Learning Outcomes (LO):
- LO1: Understand semantic analysis (type checking and type casting) phase of compilation process
- LO2: Understand intermediate code generation and use different mechanisms for representing intermediate code.
Resources: Book 1 (Lecture & illustration), Online Resources 1 & 2
Assignment: Discussion on Syntax Directed Translation & Intermediate Code Generation. Practice session on intermediate code generation using different representations.

Contents: Symbol table contents, organization for block structured languages-stack symbols tables. Mechanisms to implement symbol table, Source Language issues - Scope and Binding information, Stack implemented hash structured symbol tables.
Hours: 4
Targeted Levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy: 1, 2, 3 and 4*
Learning Outcomes (LO):
- LO1: Know the significance of symbol table in compilation process and use different data structures to implement it.
Resources: Book 1, Book 3 (Lecture and illustration), Online Resources 1 & 2
Assignment: Discussion on symbol table design and Assignment on implementing symbol table.

Contents: Machine Independent Code Optimization: - Definition, Local code optimization techniques, Elimination of local and global common sub Expressions, loop optimization. Code Generation: - Definition, machine model, simple code generation method. Peephole optimization.
Hours: 4
Targeted Levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy: 1 to 5*
Learning Outcomes (LO):
- LO1: Know code optimization and code generation phase of compilation process.
- LO2: Apply code optimization techniques for generating efficient code.
Resources: Book 1 & Book 3 (Lecture, illustration and tutorial), Online Resources 1 & 2
Assignment: Discussion and practice session on code generation and code optimization.

Contents: Error Detection & Recovery, Lexical Phase errors, syntactic phase errors and semantic errors. Recovery from different phases of compilation process.
Hours: 4
Targeted Levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy: 1 to 5*
Learning Outcomes (LO):
- LO1: Know different types of errors and acquaintance with different types of errors will help students to write code with minimum errors.
- LO2: Use different error detection and error recovery methods.
Resources: Book 1 & Book 3 (Lecture), Online Resources 1 & 2
Assignment: Discussion on types of errors and error handling techniques.

* 1- Remember, 2- Understand, 3- Apply, 4- Analyze, 5- Evaluate, 6- Create

Alfred V. Aho, Ravi Sethi, Jeffery D. Ullman, Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools, Addison Wesley Longman
Compiler Construction Theory & Practice, Barrett, Bates, Gustafson, Couch
The Theory & Practice of Compiler Writing, Jean Paul Tremblay, Paul G. Sorenson