Nanopass Attribute Grammars - Managing Complexity in Compiler Design

Explore a 29-minute video presentation from the SLE 2023 conference on Nanopass Attribute Grammars. Delve into how this approach addresses the complexity of compilers for feature-rich languages by specifying them as a sequence of small transformations. Learn about the formulation of attribute grammars that identifies collections of language constructs and analyses, constructs specific languages, and specifies compositions of transformations. Discover how this method allows for static typing of feature collections and checking of individual languages for well-definedness and circularity. Examine the evaluation of this approach through the implementation of a significant subset of the Go programming language in a prototype nanopass attribute grammar system. Gain insights from University of Minnesota researchers Nathan Ringo, Lucas Kramer, and Eric Van Wyk as they present their work on managing compiler complexity and improving error prevention in language development.