Teaching compiler construction and language design
Martin Andreas Rückert · 2007
This paper presents an unusual programming language, textttklx, illustrating the type of compiler construction projects the author uses successfully to accompany a mostly traditional lecture on compilers.The target processor of textttklx is the PostScript interpreter, and the paper argues that this is a very good choice. A PostScript interpreter simulates an elegant stack machine with built-in graphic capabilities. It is the perfect target for languages like textttklx, making them easy to implement and fun to use. The exact definition of the source language is an integral part of the student project.The use of non standard languages and a non standard target fosters student creativity in language design and implementation. It invites out of the box thinking, and prepares the knowledge transfer from the rich tradition of compiler construction to new and forthcoming areas of computer science.