Getting Started: Introduction

Prerequisites

• Have a strong grasp of a programming language such as Python, C, C++, Ruby, or any of the other languages out there.
• Have your favorite code editor or IDE installed (one such example is VSCode)
• Stay motivated. Constructing a compiler is not easy, so keep pushing; it’s worth the effort.

Language Categories

When making a compiler, you need to decide which of 2 types of language the compiler will be.

• Toy language: This is when you make a programming language which doesn’t fix an issue, but is for learning. Fun examples of these are Whitespace, Lolcode, and Brainfuck.

• Programming language: These are the languages which aim to solve a problem or bring something new and unique to the table. These can be compared to languages like Swift, C++, and Python.

Resources

During your journey, it is inevitable that you will stumble over something which you have no idea about, but hopefully, one of these resources will aid you.

• Create Your Own Programming Language (Ebook)

  • +Friendly to beginners
  • +Short
  • +Aided the creation of Coffeescript and Rubby

• Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools (The Dragon Book)

  • Contains everything you’d ever want to know about a compiler, but it’s advanced and a long read

• Modern Compiler Design (Ebook)

  • This is another highly praised book on compiler design