Frontend Issues — The LANCE System

Abstract

The code optimization techniques presented in the previous chapters mainly refer to what is commonly called the backend of a compiler, i.e., the machine dependent part responsible for assembly code generation. However, a significant portion of the total design effort for writing a compiler also goes into the machine-independent parts, i.e., the frontend. This includes the source language parser, as well as machine independent optimizations working on the intermediate representation (IR). In most cases, a frontend is required for experimentally evaluating new code generation techniques. Also the transfer of research results into industrial practice can hardly be accomplished without a frontend.