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Compiler-compiler
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<p>In <a href="/facts/Computer_science/lN3pEyPz">computer science</a>, a compiler-compiler or compiler generator is a programming tool that creates a <a href="/facts/Parsing/nRKB01S3">parser</a>, <a href="/facts/Interpreter_(computer_software)/JB85fbyb">interpreter</a>, or <a href="/facts/Compiler/WNfCDFJe">compiler</a> from some form of formal description of a <a href="/facts/Programming_language/cWTYbgWa">programming language</a> and machine. </p><p>The most common type of compiler-compiler is called a parser generator. It handles only <a href="/facts/Syntactic_analysis/nRKB01S3">syntactic analysis</a>. </p><p>A formal description of a language is usually a <a href="/facts/Formal_grammar/QLxaQNAz">grammar</a> used as an input to a parser generator. It often resembles <a href="/facts/Backus%E2%80%93Naur_form/xbMXDntc">Backus–Naur form</a> (BNF), <a href="/facts/Extended_Backus%E2%80%93Naur_form/89KI2QTe">extended Backus–Naur form</a> (EBNF), or has its own syntax. Grammar files describe a <a href="/facts/Syntax_(programming_languages)/zM5oInza">syntax</a> of a generated compiler's target programming language and actions that should be taken against its specific constructs. </p><p><a href="/facts/Source_code/o9J6Jv23">Source code</a> for a parser of the programming language is returned as the parser generator's output. This source code can then be compiled into a parser, which may be either standalone or embedded. The compiled parser then accepts the source code of the target programming language as an input and performs an action or outputs an <a href="/facts/Abstract_syntax_tree/73AUK1jI">abstract syntax tree</a> (AST). </p><p>Parser generators do not handle the <a href="/facts/Semantics_(computer_science)/JEP1zyBv">semantics</a> of the AST, or the <a href="/facts/Code_generation_(compiler)/6Ce9gjPs">generation of machine code</a> for the target machine. </p><p>A metacompiler is a software development tool used mainly in the construction of <a href="/facts/Compiler/WNfCDFJe">compilers</a>, <a href="/facts/Translator_(computing)/D3TIzmrI">translators</a>, and <a href="/facts/Interpreter_(computing)/JB85fbyb">interpreters</a> for other programming languages. The input to a metacompiler is a <a href="/facts/Computer_program/e38jH9N9">computer program</a> written in a <a href="/facts/Domain-specific_language/n18H1foD">specialized</a> programming <a href="/facts/Metalanguage/peNXFNUV">metalanguage</a> designed mainly for the purpose of constructing compilers. The language of the compiler produced is called the object language. The minimal input producing a compiler is a <a href="/facts/Metaprogramming/ujbjjJTY">metaprogram</a> specifying the object language grammar and <a href="/facts/Semantics_(computer_science)/JEP1zyBv">semantic</a> transformations into an <a href="/facts/Object_program/VSst9eLA">object program</a>. </p>