Build a Compiler in Five Projects

(kmicinski.com)

54 points | by azhenley 21 hours ago ago

7 comments

  • AdityaSanthosh 2 hours ago

    Hi, seems like an interesting course. I haven't studied compilers in my undergrad( I'm an electronics student) but I have been working as a programmer who studied c and bit of low level languages. Is there any prerequisite compiler knowledge required for this course?

    • ktimespi 2 hours ago

      The only prerequisite here is probably Racket, to follow along with the book

  • UncleOxidant 2 hours ago

    The Essentials of Compilation book mentioned is only ~$24 on Amazon. Usually books like this are much more expensive. I ordered a copy.

    • almostgotcaught 2 hours ago

      looks like a fun book but just be forewarned real compiler engineering is nothing like what's covered there.

      • anta40 an hour ago

        Any recommendation for a more realistic book?

        I think hacking GCC/LLVM can be pretty challenging, but hey they are real, production-grade compilers and not just typical academic projects.

        • almostgotcaught an hour ago

          there are no good modern compiler books - everything that's been written down pales in comparison to what GCC/LLVM really involve. recently i found Engineering a Compiler by Cooper and Torczon when reviewing/prepping for interviews - it wasn't bad. also there's now LLVM Code Generation by Quentin Colombet but that's basically a code walk-through of LLVM (it doesn't cover any of the algos). and it was probably out of the date the second it got published lol (not really but maybe). the truth is that trying to learn how to build a compiler from a single book is like trying to learn how to build a skyscraper from a single book.

      • fragmede an hour ago

        Real compiler engineering covers a lot of ground. This book is an intro to it, not the whole everything. No need to posture about it.