252-0210-00L Compiler Design

Semester	Autumn Semester 2016
Lecturers	T. Gross
Periodicity	yearly recurring course
Course	Does not take place this semester.
Language of instruction	English
Comment	The course unit will be offered again in the spring semester 2017.

Abstract	This course uses compilers as example to expose modern software development techniques. Compiler organization. Lexical analysis. Top-down parsing via recursive descent, table-driven parsers, bottom-up parsing. Symboltables, semantic checking. Code generation for a simple RISC machine: conditionals, loops, procedure calls, simple register allocation techniques.
Learning objective	Learn principles of compiler design, gain practical experience designing and implementing a medium-scale software system.
Content	This course uses compilers as example to expose modern software development techniques. The course introduces the students to the fundamentals of compiler construction. Students will implement a simple yet complete compiler for an object-oriented programming language for a realistic target machine. Students will learn the use of appropriate tools (parser generators); the implementation language is Java. Throughout the course, students learn to apply their knowledge of theory (automata, grammars, stack machines, program transformation) and well-known programming techniques (module definitions, design patterns, frameworks, software reuse) in a software project. Specific topics: Compiler organization. Lexical analysis. Top-down parsing via recursive descent, table-driven parsers, bottom-up parsing. Symboltables, semantic checking. Code generation for a simple RISC machine: expression evaluation, straight line code, conditionals, loops, procedure calls, simple register allocation techniques. Storage allocation on the stack, parameter passing, runtime storage management, heaps. Special topics as time permits: introduction to global dataflow and its application to register allocation, instruction scheduling.
Literature	Aho/Lam/Sethi/Ullmann, Compilers - Principles, Techniques, and Tools (2nd Edition) Muchnick, Advanced Compiler Design and Implementation, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, 1997
Prerequisites / Notice	Prerequisites: Prior exposure to modern techniques for program construction, knowledge of at least one processor architecture at the assembly language level.