Lexical Analysis: A C-Based Scanner and Recursive-Descent Parser

The program is an implementation of a scanner and a recursive-descent parser for a custom language, Yoshi⋅Island⋅Lang, written in C.

It performs the following key tasks:

Lexical Analysis (Scanner): The scanner reads the source code as a sequence of characters and groups them into meaningful units called tokens (e.g., identifiers, keywords, numbers, operators, delimiters). It handles common language features like whitespace, comments, and invalid input while ensuring valid tokens are passed to the parser. The scanner uses C-strings (character arrays) for efficient tokenization, showcasing low-level string manipulation.

Syntax Analysis (Parser): The parser uses the recursive-descent technique, a top-down parsing method, to process the tokens generated by the scanner. It validates the syntax of the program against the formal grammar of Yoshi⋅Island⋅Lang. The parser builds a parse tree or simply checks if the input is syntactically correct, identifying and reporting any errors encountered during parsing.

Error Reporting: Both the scanner and parser include mechanisms for error detection and reporting, such as invalid characters in the input or syntax violations. Code Structure: The program is modular, with separate functions handling different grammar rules, making it easy to extend or modify. Comments and clearly defined functions outline the grammar rules and logic implemented, providing a roadmap of the language's syntax. This program not only demonstrates a strong grasp of lexical and syntax analysis but also offers insights into low-level programming techniques, emphasizing precision and efficiency.

Link to project