Build key data structures in a compiler and use your compiler to build a syntax-coloring code editor.Develop a scanner that reads source code and generate a parser that checks syntax.Write lexical and context-free grammar rules for common expressions and control structures.Perform requirements analysis for the new language and design language syntax and semantics.Jeffery weaves in his experience of building the Unicon programming language to give better context to the concepts, while providing relevant examples in Unicon and Java.īy the end of this book, you’ll be able to build and deploy your own domain-specific languages, capable of compiling and running programs.
The book concludes by showing you how to implement garbage collection, including reference counting and mark-and-sweep garbage collection. Moving ahead, you’ll learn how domain-specific language (DSL) features are often best represented by operators and functions that are built into the language, rather than library functions. The book covers a series of traversals of syntax trees, culminating with code generation for a bytecode virtual machine. You’ll implement the frontend of a compiler for your language, including a lexical analyzer and parser. In this book, you’ll be able to put the knowledge you gain to work in language design and implementation. However, creating a custom language isn’t easy. It can be your antidote to the ever-increasing size and complexity of software.
Building your own programming language has its advantages. The need for different types of computer languages is growing rapidly and developers prefer creating domain-specific languages for solving specific application domain problems.
Written by the creator of the Unicon programming language, this book will show you how to implement programming languages to reduce the time and cost of creating applications for new or specialized areas of computing Key Features