| Department of Computer Sciences |
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CSE 4251 - COMPILER THEORY. COMPILER THEORY. Introduces formal languages, the construction of scanners and recursive descent, LL(1) and LR(1) parsers, intermediate forms, symbol tables, code generation and optimization of resultant code. Prerequisites: CSE 2010 and CSE 3101.
In this class we will write an entire compiler in Java for a simple, imperative language. Knowledge of basic algorithms: trees, graphs, etc, is required. CSE 2010 is a prerequisite. CSE 3101 Machine and Assembly Language, is also a prerequisite. CSE 4250 Programming Languages, CSE 4051 Advanced Java programming, and CSE 4083 Formal Languages and Automata Theory are all helpful, but not required.
The textbook for this class is:
| Appel |
Andrew W. Appel with Jens Palsberg. Modern Compiler Implementation in Java, second edition. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 2002. ISBN: 052182060-X |
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We will write a compiler for a subset of Java called MiniJava (see the EBNF grammar). The compiler will produce SPARC assembly code. It really requires very little understanding of SPARC architecture and assembly language to write a simple compiler. But there are some details that must be understood. A thorough discussion of these topics can be found in:
| Paul |
Richard P. Paul. SPARC Architecture, Assembly Language Programming, and C, second edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 2000. ISBN: 0-13-025596-3 |
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Please get a TRACKS account, if you do not already have one. if you need access to a SPARC computer with GNU development software. It is required to use this environment (though most of the Java development can take place on any platform). You may use ssh to login in remotely to to use a SPARC computer.
For this reason, a good grade in this class does impress recruiters. From the ACM Computer Science Curriculum 2008
Several industrialists passed very positive comment about compiler courses. Although many companies do not engage in anything related to compilers, comile writing tended to be seen as a microcosm for realistic software development. So good compiler writers are often seen as desirable; they tend to be good software engineers.
The course grade is determined primarily by the compiler project. Any completed, reasonably functional compiler will earn an 'A' for the course. This is subject to some conditions: a reasonable grade on the midterm, the on-time completion of the milestones, the adherence to the compiler design in the textbook, following the submission requirements, and writing the code yourself. Failure to meet these conditions makes it difficult to evaluate and assign grades equitably, in such circumstances expect an 'F'.
There will be one midterm test. It will cover scanning and parsing. There will be no final test.
| Tuesday, 13 January 2009 | first lecture |
| Friday, 16 January 2009 | assignment #1 |
| Monday, 19 January 2009 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no classes) |
| Friday, 23 January 2009 | assignment #2 |
| Friday, 30 January 2009 | Lexer, assignment #3 |
| Friday, 13 February 2009 | Parser, assignment #4 |
| Monday, 16 February 2009 | President's Day (no classes) |
| Thursday, 21 February 2009 | Midterm Exam |
| 2-6 March 2009 | Spring break (no classes) |
| Friday, 13 March 2009 | Syntax and Semantics, assignment #5 |
| Friday, 20 March 2009 | Last day to withdraw |
| Monday, 31 March 2009 | Frames and Trees, assignment #6 |
| Thu, 16 April 2009 | class canceled |
| Friday, 17 April 2009 | Instruction Section, assignment #7 |
| Tue, 21 April 2009 | ICPC World Finals (no class) |
| Thu, 23 April 2009 | ICPC World Finals (no class) |
| Thursday, 28 April 2009 | last lecture |
| Monday, 4 May 2009 | Complete Compiler, assignment #8 |
