Customer Reviews

Compiler Construction (International Computer Science Series)

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For each of his major languages (Pascal, Modula, Oberon), Wirth wrote a new edition of his Compiler Construction book. In this book, he introduces to Compiler Construction in general and explains a particular implementation of a compiler for a small language (Oberon0).

The current edition has been extended in some ways (the target RISC architecture is explained much better now). I have read all three books on Compiler Construction by Wirth (even typed in the source of the first book on PL0) and many others by him. I still like his books although his style is a bit formal. Fortunately, the implementation issues keep him down to earth. This book is still the most demanding he wrote. Except for computer science students, which may be happy to get a worked out example in less than 200 pages.

I enjoyed reading this book. I have read several books on the topic and this is one of my favourite introduction.

Obviously it is not as comprehensive as "Compilers Principles, Techniques and Tools" but in 180 pages, you'll learn the basics of compiler constructions.

The book uses Oberon as the sample language. I had no problem with the choice because Oberon is close to other popular languages, starting with Pascal. And yet I confess I never wrote a single line of Oberon code...

Professor Wirth made an interesting introduction course in Compiler construction. He follows the same kind descriptive stile he used on his legendary book "Algorithms + Data Structures = Programs" developing a PL/O virtual machine, P-code, and compiler.

This time he do the same, but now using a RISC ideal machine similar (on its programming model) to Patterson & Hennessy DLX processor (Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approarch, Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach). The RISC machine is beautiful and basic. An OBERON program module implementing an Interpreter for this RISC machine is included.

The book cover basic topics like: BNF, a reference to N. Chomsky formal description of languages, and compiler architecture (front-end, back-end).

OBERON programming language is similar to Pascal.

I recommend very much to expose you to basic programming environments like this, as a complement to your normal work with new development technologies like .NET framework and Java framework.

Also, I recommend you the following self-instruction path:

1) Computer Organization and Design, Revised Printing, Third Edition, Third Edition: The Hardware/Software Interface (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Computer ... Series in Computer Architecture and Design)

2) Compiler Construction (International Computer Science Series)

3) The Art of Computer Programming, Volume 1, Fascicle 1: MMIX -- A RISC Computer for the New Millennium (Art of Computer Programming)

Another good intro to computer organization and general assembly language programming is: Structured Computer Organization (5th Edition)

Dry, uninteresting introduction to compiler design. Written like a reference rather than a text, the book is about as exciting as watching grass grow. Do not try reading this without at least 8 hours of prior sleep. The author should collaberate with an American writer and make it easier to read. The author makes it a point to showcase all of his publications and work. He also assumes the reader has some inate knowledge of Oberon, Modula and Pascal - all very esoteric languages and of questionable relevance.

I took a graduate course that included building a table driver, recursive decent (parsing) compiler-compiler, very similar to the one covered here, in 1967-68 using a book by Peter Z Ingermann. This book isn't mentioned in the Bibl. but 4 of the author's previous works are... nuff said!