This repository contains the code for a compiler implementation written in the C programming language that relies on the tools Flex and Bison. The target language is a simple, C-like language.
- GCC (GNU Compiler Collection)
- Make
- Flex (derivative of Lex)
- Bison (derivative of Yacc)
- QtSpim (or any other MIPS32 Simulator)
For Arch-based distributions:
sudo pacman -Syu
sudo pacman -S --needed base-devel
Note
base-devel includes gcc, make, flex, bison, and other core development tools. Alternatively, you can install each separately.
For Debian-based distributions:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential flex bison
Note
build-essential includes gcc, make, and other core build tools. Alternatively, you can install each separately.
For Fedora-based distributions:
sudo dnf makecache
sudo dnf group install development-tools
sudo dnf install flex flex-devel bison bison-devel
Note
development-tools group includes gcc, make, and other core build tools. Alternatively, you can install each separately.
It is highly recommended that you use a Linux distribution instead, through any method you prefer.
Options include:
- Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), preferably version 2
- Docker or Podman containers
- Virtual Machines
I am not very familiar with Macintosh systems.
However, it seems that you first need to install Apple's command-line developer tools, which will provide you with make, clang and gcc (via clang), as well as other development tools.
Next, install a package manager such as Homebrew (brew), through which you can then install flex and bison.
xcode-select --install
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
brew install flex bison
If you are on Microsoft Windows, macOS, or a Debian-based Linux distribution, you should be good to go with one of the recent releases of QtSpim on SourceForge.
For other Linux distributions, it is possible to install a version of QtSpim via Flatpak, which is sadly no longer under active maintenance, or consider using a container or virtual machine instead.
Clone the repository and change into the directory:
git clone https://github.com/drifter1/compiler.git
cd compiler
To build the compiler simply type make in this directory.
By default, the executable will be located in the subdirectory bin and called compiler.
Examples are included in the examples directory.
By default, typing make run will compile example1.c from the simple_c_examples subdirectory using the compiled binary from make. It's essentially the same as:
./bin/compiler examples/simple_c_examples/example1.c
The execution of the compiler prints out parsing debugging information in the terminal console and also creates the symtab_dump.out and revisit_dump.out debugging files.
To clean the build files and binary executable, you just have to type make clean.
To clean the debugging files (with .out extension) after usage of the compiler with make run you just have to type make clean-run.
A comprehensive tutorial series is also available, which covers most aspects of implementation.
The complete list of articles can be found here.
Important
Please be advised that significant changes have been made to the source code and repository (issue #5), meaning that the tutorial series and repository are no longer perfectly aligned. The tutorial series has also been discontinued. The final commit prior to the major overhaul is 7fbcd3f. It should help you work your way through the series more easily, since every single article has its own folder.
The programming language is being explained here.
Note
Please be advised that this text is still a work in progress.
- Machine Code generation in MIPS Assembly
- Optimizations in the compiler's source code
- Fixing errors, bugs, issues, ...