Re: Is Assembler Language essential in compiler construction?

marco.m.petersen@gmail.com wrote:
> I mean, if you wrote a program that converts code from BASIC to C++
> then calls another compiler to do the compilation process, wouldn't
> that be considered as a compiler?


Yes, formally a compiler just translates one computer language into
another. For example, an assembler translates into the machine code
language.


One uses T-diagrams to describe this:
      http://scifac.ru.ac.za/compilers/cha03g.htm
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compiler


  > Is Assembler Language essential in compiler construction? I've read a
  > few e-Books on compiler construction and it always says that knowledge
  > of assembly is essential.


This leads to the question of boot-strapping and self-compilation,
described further down on the first link above. One can write an
assembler by writing some parts in machine code and let it self-compile,
a C-compiler by writing some parts in assembler and let it self-compile,
or a C++ or Haskell compiler (like GHC at least in the past) by letting
it generating C. Then some parts may still be written in assembler for
optimization reasons. A compiler may use an in-house intermediate
optimized for its portability and spectrum of supported languages (like
GCC, I think).


      Hans Aberg

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