Self-Hosting Compilers
Self-hosting compilers, also known as bootstrapping compilers, can compile and run their own source code. That is, the compiler is written in the same programming language as the code it can compile.
The process of creating a self-hosting compiler is known as “compiling the compiler,” and it typically consists of several steps. The first step is to create a “seed” compiler, which is typically written in an already existing programming language or implemented in another way, such as an interpreter. This seed compiler is then used to compile the source code for the compiler’s final version, which is then used for all subsequent compilations.
The primary benefit of a self-hosting compiler is that it enables the development of new programming languages and compilers to be more easily and quickly created, as well as the ability to improve final compiler performance. Furthermore, it allows for greater control and customization of the compiler, as well as ensuring the language’s portability across different platforms.
The first self-hosting compilers were created in the 1950s and 1960s. The first FORTRAN compiler, for example, developed by IBM, was self-hosting. The LISP 1.5 Compiler and the ALGOL 60 Compiler are two other early examples of self-hosting compilers.
Many modern compilers, including GCC (GNU Compiler Collection), Clang, and the Microsoft C++ compiler, are self-hosting. Furthermore, self-hosting compilers are a fundamental part of the development of many programming languages, such as Rust and Go, allowing the language to evolve more efficiently.
History of Compiler
Pre-requisites: Introduction To Compilers
Compilers have a long history dating back to the early days of computer development. Grace Hopper, a computer programming pioneer, created one of the first compilers in the 1950s. Here A-0 compiler converted symbolic mathematical code into machine code that could be executed by a computer. This was a significant advancement because it allowed programmers to write programs in a higher-level programming language, such as FORTRAN, rather than machine code.
Following A-0, other early compilers such as IBM’s FORTRAN Compiler and the LARC compiler at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory were developed. These compilers enabled programmers to write code in a more human-readable format, making the programming process more efficient and error-free.
Many other programming languages were created in the years that followed, as were compilers to translate them into machine code. The advancement of more powerful computers, as well as the increasing demand for more complex programs, prompted the development of more sophisticated compilers. In the 1960s, the first optimizing compilers were developed, which were capable of improving the performance of generated machine code by making it more efficient.
Compilers for high-level languages such as C, C++, and Pascal were developed in the 1970s and 1980s. These programming languages enabled the development of more complex software systems, such as operating systems and large applications.
With the rise of virtual machines and the development of Just-in-Time (JIT) compilers, the use of compilers has become even more common in recent years. JIT compilers can optimize program performance at runtime by generating machine code that is specifically tailored to the system on which they are running; this technique is widely used in modern programming languages such as Java and .Net.
Overall, the history of compilers has been shaped by the desire for more efficient and effective methods of creating software, and it has played an important role in the development of modern computer systems and software.
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