Semantic Analysis - Understanding Program Meaning
Semantic analysis is a critical phase in compiler design that ensures program correctness by checking the logical meaning of the code beyond mere syntax. It involves various types of checks, such as type checking, scope resolution, and return type validation, forming a bridge between syntactic structure and program intention. By utilizing abstract syntax trees and maintaining a symbol table, semantic analysis aids in detecting errors and ensuring that programs behave as intended.
Sections
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What we have learnt
- Semantic analysis is essential for enforcing the logical correctness of a program after syntactic analysis.
- Type checking, undeclared variable checks, and proper return type enforcement are key components of semantic checks.
- Abstract syntax trees (ASTs) simplify the representation of code, aiding semantic checks and later stages of compilation.
Key Concepts
- -- Semantic Analysis
- The process of verifying the logical structure and meaning behind the code after syntax checking.
- -- Symbol Table
- A data structure that holds information about identifiers used in the program, such as their types and scopes.
- -- Abstract Syntax Tree (AST)
- A simplified representation of the syntactic structure of code that focuses on the significant constructs without syntactic noise.
- -- Attribute Evaluation
- The technique of attaching additional information (attributes) to the nodes of the AST for semantic understanding.
- -- SyntaxDirected Translation Schemes (STDS)
- Formal methods for associating attribute calculations and semantic actions with grammar rules during parsing.
Additional Learning Materials
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