Modern Compiler Implementation in Java (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Jens Palsberg (Contributor) "This book describes techniques, data structures, and algorithms for translating programming languages into executable code..." (more)
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"...fit[s] comfortably and usefully between cookbooks and encyclopedias on compilation...suitable for self-study." Computing Reviews

"A well-written book, which strictly adheres to a no-nonsense style." Computing Reviews

Product Description

This textbook describes all phases of a compiler: lexical analysis, parsing, abstract syntax, semantic actions, intermediate representations, instruction selection via tree matching, dataflow analysis, graph-coloring register allocation, and runtime systems. It includes thorough coverage of current techniques in code generation and register allocation, and the compilation of functional and object-oriented languages. The most accepted and successful techniques are described and illustrated with actual Java^TM® classes. The first part is suitable for a one-semester first course in compiler design. The second part; which includes the compilation of object-oriented and functional languages, garbage collection, loop optimization, SSA form, instruction scheduling, and optimization for cache-memory hierarchies; can be used for a second-semester or graduate course. This new edition includes more discussion of Java and object-oriented programming concepts such as visitor patterns plus a new Mini-Java programming project. A unique feature is the newly redesigned compiler project in Java for a subset of Java itself. The project includes both front-end and back-end phases.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 2 edition (November 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 052182060X
• ISBN-13: 978-0521820608
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #469,466 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This item is part of The Modern Compiler Implementation Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A reasonable undergraduate compilers text, August 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Modern Compiler Implementation in Java (Hardcover)

I find this to be one of the better choices currently available as a textbook for an undergraduate compilers course. As it promises, it presents a modern view of compiler construction, and many difficult new techniques are covered fairly clearly. The book is particularly appealing because it provides a fairly explicit cookbook for how to construct a compiler from start to finish, and the different parts of the book fit together much better than in, say, the Dragon Book. It also contains good material on implementing more advanced language features.

The book has a number of weaknesses that have been touched on by other reviewers. The number of errors in the text is larger than it should be. The explanations of certain topics are weak: LR parsing and dataflow equations come to mind. In general, topics are covered in only slightly more depth than a class lecture on the topic would reach. This makes the book less useful as a reference after the course ends.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's the only *modern* compiler textbook out there, May 6, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Modern Compiler Implementation in Java (Hardcover)

I have taught a graduate compiler class out of this text, and that worked out very well. But I would not recommend this text for an introductory undergraduate compiler course without an automata theory and programming languages prerequisite.

Students loved the sophisticated compiler design built up in the text, but suffered through overly concise and sometimes incomplete explanations (I think many of the "errors" reported are really omitted details). Much of that can be made up for in lectures, but it makes the text hard going on its own.

So why is this an important text to consider? The Dragon book is out of date on compiler optimization, and good optimization books (I like Morgan best, Muchnick second) really can not serve as "big picture" compiler texts -- they are good reference books. Optimization is where it's at these days, and this is the only textbook that easily builds to that level.

Don't be fooled by the Java edition. The compiler design reflects the ML/Haskell school of data abstraction, and will seem odd to Java programmers. But that's a good experience in itself.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars How someone else's compiler works piece by piece..., September 25, 2002

By	"mikem9" (Waltham, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Modern Compiler Implementation in Java (Hardcover)

This book does show you how a compiler is implemented, literally. The author has a compiler already coded which he breaks down piece by piece and shows you how the pieces work.

Unfortunately, instead of only giving you what you need to know for a specific piece, alot of future material is added too soon because it's already in the code. What would've been good is to trim out that stuff and give examples of code that wasn't part of the complete compiler but explained a specific point and only that point.

Too much time is spent explaining pre-existing code that implements the modules in a ready-built compiler, and not enough time is spent describing what each module in a compiler is supposed to do and how you'd do it yourself or alternative ways of implementing functionality.

If only there was a compiler book that was halfway between this one and the Dragon book...