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Lesson 12 Bootstrapping

The document discusses the concept of bootstrapping in programming languages, specifically how to implement a language using its own implementation. It outlines various possibilities for creating a Pascal compiler for a new processor, including writing directly in machine language, using another language, or implementing a subset of Pascal first. Additionally, it mentions cross-compiling as a method to port Pascal to a new machine, highlighting the complexity of the bootstrapping process with examples of multiple steps involved.

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David Waihenya
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0 views3 pages

Lesson 12 Bootstrapping

The document discusses the concept of bootstrapping in programming languages, specifically how to implement a language using its own implementation. It outlines various possibilities for creating a Pascal compiler for a new processor, including writing directly in machine language, using another language, or implementing a subset of Pascal first. Additionally, it mentions cross-compiling as a method to port Pascal to a new machine, highlighting the complexity of the bootstrapping process with examples of multiple steps involved.

Uploaded by

David Waihenya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LESSON 12

Bootstrapping

The notion of implementing a language, by means of using (part of) that language’s own
implementation.

Notation: T-diagram

Diagram Purpose:

Example: We wish to have a Pascal compiler for a new Processor, M.

How do we get it ?

Possibility#1:

Write the compiler directly by hand, in machine language? In assembly language ?

Possibility#2:

Write the Pascal compiler in some other language L, that is already implemented on M. Then,
compile the compiler.
But, this will probably involve too much work.

Possibility # 3: First, implement P, a subset of Pascal. Then, write the desired compiler in P, and
compile it.

Step 1:

Now P is implemented.

Another example:

Now, lets suppose we wish to port Pascal to a new machine, M’.

Possibility #1: Same as for M.

Possibility #2: Same as for M.

Possibility #3: Same as for M.

Possibility #4:

Step 1: Same as for M (implement P on M’).

Step 2: Modify the Pascal compiler.

Possibility #5: Don’t use P! Use the implementation of Pascal on M instead.


Step 1:

Step 2:

Note: Possibility #5 is called “cross-compiling”.

Many compilers undergo a long chain of bootstrapping steps. For example, XPL (a dialect of
PL/I), was written first in Algol, then in XPL, and ported to a B5500 and then an IBM 360. Eight
bootstraping steps were required.

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