Re: Why should students still study compilers?

Hi,


instinctively: because if someone works on software the lifecycle of a
"program", compilers are simply fundamental.


experimentally: it worked for my studies and "career", guiding my choices on
software tools from writing to testing. And, in many cases, for
transforming.


philologically: the fifth book of "The art of computer programming" will be
about scanning and parsing.


culturally: if one knows at least the basics of grammars and syntax (not to
speak about the following phases) that one can face the usually-butcomplex
recurring problems, maybe choosing wisely the right tool


Bye, end of my 0,02 €


      Davide


On 24/08/2026 19:44, Roger L Costello wrote:
> For many years, I've regarded compiler construction as one of the most
> scientific, disciplined, and algorithmic areas of computer science. There is
> something wonderfully satisfying about a field in which so much can be derived
> systematically rather than done by the seat of the pants.
>
> The difficulty, at least in my experience, is that there simply aren't that
> many jobs writing compilers. Occasionally I get a small job writing a
> dedicated parser, but for the most part I have little opportunity to use
> compiler algorithms professionally. That makes it hard to justify spending my
> limited time keeping those skills fresh.
>
> And now I wonder whether LLMs will reduce the demand for some kinds of
> compiler and parser expertise even further.
>
> So I'm curious what people on this list think: **Why should a computer science
> student today take a compiler course?**
>
> Do students take compiler courses because the techniques they learn are likely
> to be useful in their careers, despite the relatively small number of jobs
> involving compiler development? Or is the real value of a compiler course that
> it teaches broader ways of thinking about languages, grammars,
> representations, transformations, optimization, and software systems?
>
> And has the arrival of LLMs changed your answer at all?


--
ing. Davide Grandi
email : davide.grandi@email.it
mobile : +39 339 7468 778
linkedin : http://linkedin.com/in/davidegrandi

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