Exam Note for Compiler Design

1. Lexical Analysis:
- Lexical analysis is the first phase of the compiler design process, responsible for analyzing
the lexical structure of a program.
- The lexical structure includes identifiers, literals, operators, keywords, and other language-
specific tokens.
- The lexical analyzer uses techniques such as regular expressions and finite automata to
recognize and tokenize the input program.
- It scans the input character stream, identifies the tokens, and produces a stream of tokens as
output.
- The token stream serves as the input for the next phase of the compiler.

2. Syntactic Analysis:
- Syntactic analysis, also known as parsing, checks the syntactic structure of the program
against a formal grammar.
- It ensures that the program adheres to the specified syntax rules of the programming
language.
- The syntactic analyzer constructs a parse tree or an abstract syntax tree (AST) representing
the hierarchical structure of the program.
- Parsing techniques include top-down parsing (e.g., recursive descent parsing) or bottom-up
parsing (e.g., LR parsing) algorithms.
- The parse tree or AST serves as an intermediate representation for subsequent phases, such
as semantic analysis and code generation.

3. Semantic Analysis:
- Semantic analysis is the phase where the meaning and validity of the program are verified.
- It performs checks and transformations that go beyond syntax, considering the program's
semantics and the language's semantics rules.
- Semantic analysis includes tasks such as type checking, symbol table construction, scope
resolution, and declaration analysis.
- It ensures that the program is semantically correct and meaningful.
 - The output of the semantic analysis phase is an annotated AST or symbol table, containing
additional information about the program's constructs.

Basic Principles of Compiler Design:

- Compiler design follows a set of fundamental principles and phases to transform a high-
level programming language into executable machine code.
- The phases include lexical analysis, syntactic analysis, semantic analysis, intermediate code
generation, optimization, and code generation.
- Each phase contributes to the overall process of analyzing and transforming the input
program, ensuring correctness, and generating efficient code.
- The compiler design principles involve modularization, separation of concerns, and the
application of formal language theory concepts.
- Understanding these principles helps in designing and implementing a compiler for a
specific programming language.

Syntax-Directed Translation:
- Syntax-directed translation is a technique used in compiler design to associate meaning
with program constructs during parsing.
- It allows for the generation of intermediate representations or the execution of
transformations based on the syntax of the program.
- Syntax-directed translation is facilitated by attribute grammars, which define translation
rules and propagate attributes during parsing.
- It helps in generating intermediate code, performing semantic actions, or building symbol
tables based on the syntax of the program.

Type Checking Techniques:

- Type checking is an important aspect of semantic analysis, ensuring that the types of
expressions and variables are compatible and consistent.
- Static type checking is performed at compile-time and verifies type correctness based on the
program's static type information.
- Dynamic type checking is performed at runtime and verifies type correctness based on the
program's dynamic behavior.
- Type inference techniques, such as Hindley-Milner type inference, can automatically
deduce the types of expressions based on their context.
- Type checking also includes checks for type compatibility, type coercion, and type
promotion rules defined by the programming language.

Remember to review your course materials, lecture notes, and relevant textbooks for a more
in-depth understanding of these topics. Pay attention to the details of lexical, syntactic,
and semantic analysis, as well as the techniques for syntax-directed translation and type
checking. Understanding the principles, techniques, and trade-offs involved in compiler
design is essential for success in the exam. Good luck with your preparations!

Questions

1. The process of specifying the structure of words in a programming language is known as

_______________.
A. syntax analysis
B. lexical analysis
C. semantic analysis
D. grammar analysis

2. Which of the following represents the correct hierarchy of language structures from
lowest to highest level?
A. Semantic structure, syntactic structure, lexical structure
B. Lexical structure, syntactic structure, semantic structure
C. Syntactic structure, lexical structure, semantic structure
D. Lexical structure, semantic structure, syntactic structure

3. Lexical analysis is responsible for identifying and classifying _______________ in a

program.
A. variables
B. functions
C. tokens
 D. expressions

4. The purpose of a symbol table in compiler design is to _______________.

A. store the values of variables during execution
B. keep track of function calls in the program
C. store the names and attributes of variables and functions
D. perform semantic analysis of the program

5. Which technique is commonly used for constructing a syntax tree from a given input
program?
A. Recursive descent parsing
B. LR parsing
C. SLR parsing
D. LALR parsing

6. Syntax-directed translation associates _______________ with the productions of a

grammar.
A. actions
B. attributes
C. expressions
D. tokens

7. Which type of analysis is performed to ensure that the program adheres to the rules of the
programming language?
A. Lexical analysis
B. Syntactic analysis
C. Semantic analysis
D. Code generation
8. Type checking in compiler design is responsible for _______________.
A. identifying syntax errors in the program
B. assigning types to variables and expressions
C. generating optimized machine code
D. performing code optimization techniques

9. Which technique is used for detecting and reporting semantic errors in a program?
A. Abstract syntax tree traversal
B. Semantic analysis
C. Type checking
D. Syntax-directed translation

10. Which of the following is an example of a context-sensitive analysis in compiler design?

A. Type inference
B. Syntax analysis
C. Lexical analysis
D. Code generation

11. The process of converting a high-level programming language into an intermediate

representation is known as _______________.
A. parsing
B. lexical analysis
C. code generation
D. compilation

12. Which technique is used for handling type conversions and promotions during code
generation?
A. Intermediate code generation
B. Register allocation
 C. Constant folding
D. Code optimization

13. The process of translating an intermediate representation into the target machine code is
called _______________.
A. code generation
B. optimization
C. interpretation
D. compilation

14. Which of the following is an example of a top-down parsing technique?

A. Recursive descent parsing
B. Shift-Reduce parsing
C. LR parsing
D. SLR parsing

15. Which type of analysis is responsible for determining the meaning of a program and
checking for semantic errors?
A. Lexical analysis
B. Syntactic analysis
C. Semantic analysis
D. Code generation
16. Which of the following accurately describes the role of lexical analysis in compiler
design?
A. Identifying and classifying the tokens in a program
B. Checking the program's syntax for correct structure
C. Performing semantic analysis of the program's logic
D. Generating optimized machine code
17. The process of specifying the meaning of a programming language's constructs is known
as _______________.
A. syntax analysis
B. lexical analysis
C. semantic analysis
D. code generation

18. Which of the following is an example of a lexical structure in a programming language?

A. Variable declaration
B. Conditional statement
C. Function definition
D. Arithmetic expression

19. Which technique is used for constructing a parse tree by traversing the input program
from left to right and building the tree top-down?
A. Recursive descent parsing
B. Bottom-up parsing
C. LR parsing
D. LALR parsing

20. In a compiler, the symbol table is used to store information about _______________.
A. token names and their attributes
B. variable types and their values
C. function names and their return types
D. syntax rules and production rules

21. Which phase of the compiler is responsible for detecting and reporting semantic errors in
the program?
A. Lexical analysis
 B. Syntactic analysis
C. Semantic analysis
D. Code generation

22. Which technique is used for generating intermediate code that represents the program's
logic in a compiler?
A. Syntax-directed translation
B. Abstract syntax tree traversal
C. Code optimization
D. Lexical analysis

23. The process of assigning types to variables and expressions in a program is known as
_______________.
A. semantic analysis
B. type checking
C. code generation
D. syntax analysis

24. Which technique is commonly used to resolve ambiguities in a context-free grammar

during syntax analysis?
A. Bottom-up parsing
B. LR parsing
C. Shift-Reduce parsing
D. Top-down parsing

25. The primary goal of code generation in compiler design is to _______________.

A. identify and eliminate code redundancies
B. transform the intermediate code into machine code
C. check the program's syntax for correct structure
 D. perform semantic analysis of the program

26. Syntax-directed translation uses _______________ to associate attributes with the

productions of a grammar.
A. semantic actions
B. intermediate code
C. symbol tables
D. parse trees

27. Which type of analysis is responsible for detecting and resolving naming conflicts in a
program?
A. Lexical analysis
B. Semantic analysis
C. Syntactic analysis
D. Code generation

28. The process of transforming the intermediate representation of a program to optimize its
efficiency is called _______________.
A. semantic analysis
B. code optimization
C. syntax analysis
D. code generation

29. Which of the following techniques is commonly used for handling type conversions and
promoting operands to a common type during code generation?
A. Intermediate code generation
B. Register allocation
C. Constant folding
D. Type checking
 30. Which algorithm is commonly used for assigning registers to variables and minimizing
memory access in a compiler?
A. Register allocation
B. Code optimization
C. Data flow analysis
D. Syntax analysis
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1. Answer: B. lexical analysis
2. Answer: B. Lexical structure, syntactic structure, semantic structure
3. Answer: C. tokens
4. Answer: C. store the names and attributes of variables and functions
5. Answer: A. Recursive descent parsing
6. Answer: B. attributes
7. Answer: B. Syntactic analysis
8. Answer: B. assigning types to variables and expressions
9. Answer: B. Semantic analysis
10. Answer: A. Type inference
11. Answer: C. code generation
12. Answer: A. Intermediate code generation
13. Answer: A. code generation
14. Answer: A. Recursive descent parsing
15. Answer: C. Semantic analysis
16. Answer: A. Identifying and classifying the tokens in a program
17. Answer: C. semantic analysis
18. Answer: A. Variable declaration
19. Answer: A. Recursive descent parsing
20. Answer: A. token names and their attributes
21. Answer: C. Semantic analysis
22. Answer: A. Syntax-directed translation
23. Answer: B. type checking
24. Answer: D. Top-down parsing
25. Answer: B. transform the intermediate code into machine code
26. Answer: A. semantic actions
27. Answer: B. Semantic analysis
28. Answer: B. code optimization
29. Answer: D. Type checking
30. Answer: A. Register allocation