This introduction lecture sets the scene for the course. We introduce the notions of software languages and language software from a bigger, interdisciplinary picture. We start with a linguistic discussion of language, its properties, and the study of language in philosophy and linguistics. We then investigate natural languages, controlled languages, and artificial languages to emphasise the human ability to control and construct languages. At the end of the first part of the lecture, we arrive at the notion of software languages as means to communicate software between people. In the second part of the lecture, we extend the notion of software languages as means to realise processes on machines. We give an overview of language software, starting from interpreters and compilers. We then introduce various language processors as basic building blocks of compilers. We continue with a comparison of traditional compilers and modern compilers in IDEs. Finally, we introduce traditional compiler compilers and modern language workbenches as tools to construct compilers.

1. IN4303 2015/16
Compiler Construction
Software Languages
language - languages - software
Guido Wachsmuth

2. Software Languages 2

3. Software Languages 3
language
definition
properties
study
languages
natural
controlled
artificial
software
language software
language processors
compilers
compiler construction

4. Software Languages 4
language
definition

5. Software Languages 5
Language is the source of misunderstandings.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: Le Petit Prince.

6. Software Languages 6
Language is
a purely human and non-instinctive method
of communicating ideas, emotions, and desires
by means
of a system of voluntarily produced symbols.
Edward Sapir: Language. An Introduction to the Study of Speech.

7. Software Languages 7
Language is
a method
of communicating
by means
of symbols.
Edward Sapir: Language. An Introduction to the Study of Speech.

8. Software Languages 8
Language is
a purely human and non-instinctive method
of communicating
by means
of a system of voluntarily produced symbols.
Edward Sapir: Language. An Introduction to the Study of Speech.

9. Software Languages 9
Language is
a purely human and non-instinctive method
of communicating ideas, emotions, and desires
by means
of a system of voluntarily produced symbols.
Edward Sapir: Language. An Introduction to the Study of Speech.

10. Software Languages 10
language
properties

11. Software Languages 11
non-instinctive

12. Software Languages 12
symbolic

13. Software Languages 13
arbitrary

14. Software Languages 14
systematic

15. Software Languages 15
productive

16. Software Languages 16
conventional

17. Software Languages 17
modifiable

18. Software Languages 18
language
study

19. Software Languages 19
meta language facility

20. Software Languages 20
Philosophy
Linguistics
lexicology
grammar
morphology
syntax
phonology
semantics
Interdisciplinary
applied linguistics
computational linguistics
historical linguistics
neurolinguistics
psycholinguistics
sociolinguistics

21. Software Languages 21
natural languages

22. Software Languages 22
7106 known living languages - 6.3 billion speakers
Ethnologue - Languages of the World.

23. Software Languages 23
A language is a dialect with a navy and an army.
Max Weinreich: YVO Bletter 25(1).

24. Software Languages 24
controlled languages

25. Software Languages 25
meta language facility

26. Software Languages 26
Classical Sanskrit

27. Software Languages 27
German

28. Software Languages 28
ASD Simplified
Technical English

29. Software Languages 29
artificial languages

30. Software Languages 30

31. Software Languages 31

32. Software Languages 32
Klingon

33. Software Languages 33
Na'vi

34. Software Languages 34
software languages

35. Software Languages 35
8512 programming languages - 18.5 million developers
Diarmuid Pigott: History of Programming Languages.
IDC: 2014 Worldwide Software Developer and ICT-Skilled Worker Estimates.

36. Software Languages 36
languages to engineer software

37. Software Languages 37
to provide a means
of communicating
numerical methods and other procedures
between people
John W. Backus: The Syntax and Semantics of the Proposed International Algebraic Language
of Zürich ACM-GAMM Conference.

38. Software Languages 38
to provide a means
of communicating
numerical methods and other procedures
between people
John W. Backus: The Syntax and Semantics of the Proposed International Algebraic Language
of Zürich ACM-GAMM Conference.

39. Software Languages 39
software
language
natural
language

40. Software Languages 40
Philosophy
Linguistics
lexicology
grammar
morphology
syntax
phonology
semantics
Interdisciplinary
Computer Science
syntax
semantics

41. Software Languages 41
/* factorial function */
let
var x := 0
function fact(n : int) : int =
if n < 1 then 1 else (n * fact(n - 1))
in
for i := 1 to 3 do (
x := x + fact(i);
printint(x);
print(" ")
)
end
Tiger
the lecture language

42. Software Languages 42
#include <stio.h>
/* factorial function */
int fac(int num) {
if (num < 1)
return 1;
else
return num * fac(num - 1);
}
int main() {
printf(“%d! = %dn”, 10, fac(10));
return 0;
}
C
another lecture language

43. Software Languages 43
class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println(new Fac().fac(10));
}
}
class Fac {
public int fac(int num) {
int num_aux;
if (num < 1)
num_aux = 1;
else
num_aux = num * this.fac(num - 1);
return num_aux;
}
}
MiniJava
the lab language

44. Software Languages 44
language software

45. Software Languages 45
languages to engineer software

46. Software Languages 46
pieces of software themselves

47. Software Languages 47
to provide a means
for realising a stated process
on a variety of machines
John W. Backus: The Syntax and Semantics of the Proposed International Algebraic Language
of Zürich ACM-GAMM Conference.

48. Software Languages 48
to provide a means
for realising a stated process
on a variety of machines
John W. Backus: The Syntax and Semantics of the Proposed International Algebraic Language
of Zürich ACM-GAMM Conference.

49. Software Languages 49
interpreter
software
language
compiler
software
language
machine
language

50. Software Languages
natural
language
natural
language
translator
50
compiler
software
language
machine
language

51. Software Languages 51
language software
language processors

52. Software Languages 52
language processors
scanners & parsers
3 * +7 213 * +7 21
3 * +7 21
Exp ExpExp
Exp
Exp
scanner parser

53. Software Languages 53
language processors
scannerless parsers
3 * +7 21
3 * +7 21
Exp ExpExp
Exp
Exp
parser

54. Software Languages 54
language processors
pretty-printers
3 * +7 21
3 * +7 21
Exp ExpExp
Exp
Exp
pretty-
printer

55. Software Languages 55
language processors
type checkers
3 * +7 21
Exp ExpExp
Exp
Exp
type
checker
errors

56. Software Languages 56
language processors
optimisers
3 * +7 21
Exp ExpExp
Exp
Exp
optimiser 42
Exp

57. Software Languages 57
language processors
generators
ldc 3
ldc 7
imul
ldc 21
iadd
3 * +7 21
Exp ExpExp
Exp
Exp
generator

58. Software Languages 58
language software
compilers

59. Software Languages 59
> ls
Course.java
> javac -verbose Course.java
[parsing started Course.java]
[parsing completed 8ms]
[loading java/lang/Object.class(java/lang:Object.class)]
[checking university.Course]
[wrote Course.class]
[total 411ms]
> ls
Course.class Course.java
traditional compilers
example

60. Software Languages 60
traditional compilers
architecture
source
code

61. Software Languages 60
traditional compilers
architecture
source
code
parse

62. Software Languages 60
traditional compilers
architecture
source
code
errors
parse
check

63. Software Languages 60
traditional compilers
architecture
source
code
errors
parse generate
check
machine
code

64. Software Languages 61
traditional compilers
compilation by transformation
backend
frontend
parse desugar analyse normalise
generate optimise format

65. Software Languages 62
modern compilers in IDEs
features

66. Software Languages 63
modern compilers in IDEs
features

67. Software Languages 64
modern compilers in IDEs
features

68. Software Languages 65
modern compilers in IDEs
architecture
source
code

69. Software Languages 65
modern compilers in IDEs
architecture
source
code
parse

70. Software Languages 65
modern compilers in IDEs
architecture
source
code
parse
check

71. Software Languages 65
modern compilers in IDEs
architecture
source
code
parse
check

72. Software Languages 65
modern compilers in IDEs
architecture
source
code
parse generate
machine
code
check

73. Software Languages 66
language software
compiler construction

74. Software Languages 67
meta language facility

75. Software Languages 68
traditional compiler compilers
manual implementation
language
implementation
compile
compiler

76. Software Languages 69
traditional compiler compilers
compilation + compilation
language
implementation
compile
compiler
language
definition
compile

77. Software Languages 70
traditional compiler compilers
example
syntax
definition
errors
parse generate
check
parser
code

78. Software Languages 71
traditional compiler compilers
compilation + interpretation
interpreter
language
definition
compile
language
implementation

79. Software Languages 72
traditional compiler compilers
example
syntax
definition
errors
parse generate
check
parse
table
generic
parser

80. Software Languages 73
language workbenches
architecture
language
definition
parse generate
language
implementation
check

81. Software Languages 74
Spoofax language workbench

82. Software Languages
Stratego
NaBL
TS
SDF3
ESV
editor
SPT
tests
75
syntax definition
concrete syntax
abstract syntax
static semantics
name binding
type system
dynamic semantics
translation
interpretation

83. Software Languages 76
Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under

84. Software Languages 77
attribution
slide title author license
1, 35 Programming language textbooks K.lee public domain
2 The Bigger Picture F. Delventhal CC BY 2.0
5 Rose 2 des Kleinen Prinzen Antoine Saint-Exupéry public domain
11 Dog and owner on Ballykinler Beach Jonny Green CC BY 2.0
12 Fashionable melange of English words (1) trialsanderrors public domain
13 Gift asenat29 CC BY 2.0
13 Toxic John Morgan CC BY 2.0
14 Latin Grammar Anthony Nelzin
15 Ginkgo Biloba Johann Wolfgang von Goethe public domain
16 Sub-deb slang genibee CC BY-NC 2.0
17 Wednesday Michael Fawcett CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
19, 25, 67 Thesaurus Enoch Lau CC BY-SA 3.0
22
The captured Swiftsure, Seven Oaks, Loyal
George and Convertine brought through
Goeree Gat
Willem van de Velde the Younger public domain

85. Software Languages 78
attribution
slide title author license
23 Tower of Babel Pieter Bruegel the Elder public domain
26 The Ashtadhyayi translated by Srisa Chandra Vasu public domain
27 Buchdruckerduden public domain
28
Boeing 737-300 -400 -500 Manitenance
Manual Alaska Airlines
Bill Abbott CC BY-SA 2.0
30 Esperanto public domain
31 Quenya Juanma Pérez Rabasco CC BY 2.0
32 Klingon Dictionary Josh Bancroft CC BY-NC 2.0
33 Overweight Na'vi HARRY NGUYEN CC BY 2.0
36, 45, 46 IBM Electronic Data Processing Machine NASA public domain
41 Tiger Bernard Landgraf CC BY-SA 3.0
42 The C Programming Language Bill Bradford CC BY 2.0
43 Italian Java book cover
49-73 PICOL icons Melih Bilgil CC BY 3.0