High-level programming languages like Python make programming a breeze, but how do they work? There's a big gap between Python and the machine instructions for modern computers. Learn how to translate Python programs all the way to assembly language with a pit stop at C along the way. Most compiler courses teach one phase of the compiler at a time, such as parsing, semantic analysis, and register allocation. The problem with that approach is that it is difficult to understand how the whole compiler fits together and why each phase is designed the way it is. Instead, each week we will implement a successively larger subset of the Python language. The very first subset will be a tiny language of expressions, and by the time we are done the language will include objects, inheritance, and first-class functions. Same as ECEN 5013.

Integer expressions and ASTs
Floats, bools, and polymorphism
Variables, assignment, and control flow
Lists and heap allocation
Functions and closure conversion
Objects and Inheritance
Overview of x86 assembly
Operand stacks and registers
Activation records
Struct layout and heap allocation
Instruction selection
Register allocation

Objectives for the course
Upon completion of this class, students posses:
• an understanding of how high-level languages features, such as objects and first-class functions, are translated to machine-level operations,
• the ability to create a parser using lex/yacc,
• an understanding of program-as-data. Able to write functions that inspect and transform abstract syntax trees,
• an understanding of static analyses and the ability to implement them, in particular: o type checking and type inference. o The difference between dynamic and static type checking. o Understand polymorphism and its impact on the run-time representations of values.
• an understanding of memory management techniques, especially garbage collection.
• an understanding of how to map language features to machine-level features. In particular: o how to implement function calls in assembly. Understand calling conventions and able to write assembly code that performs function calls. o How to allocate variables to registers. Able to implement a register allocator and able to perform register allocation by hand.

Fluency in at least one programming language (Java, C, C++, Python, etc.).
Students will do a lot of programming in Python, but prior knowledge of Python is not required. The course will start with a crash course on Python and Python is one of the easiest languages to learn.
A familiarity with the C programming language is needed or a willingness to learn it quickly on your own. Prior knowledge of an assembly language helps, but is not required.

* Modern Compiler Implementation in Java 2nd edition by Andrew W. Appel (The book is also available in C and ML.)
* Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools 2nd edition by Aho, Lam, Sethi, and Ullman
* Python in a Nutshell by Alex Martelli
* The C Programming Language 2nd edition by Kernighan and Ritchie

An x86-based computer (such as Intel or AMD) with the gnu C compiler installed.