C-Compiler

This is a C compiler project that I developed to deepen my understanding of compiler design and low-level programming. My compiler supports basic arithmetic operations and demonstrates the core phases of compilation from lexical analysis to code generation.

Overview

The project implements key compiler components:

• Lexer: Tokenizes input C source code
• Parser: Builds Abstract Syntax Trees (AST) from tokens
• AST: Data structures representing program structure
• Code Generator: Converts AST to machine-level instructions

Designed for educational purposes, the modular source files enable study and extension of each compiler phase.

Repository Structure

• lexer.c / lexer.h: Lexer implementation for tokenizing input
• parser.c / parser.h: Parser building the AST
• ast.c / ast.h: AST node definitions and utilities
• codegen.c / codegen.h: Code generator producing executable code
• main.c: Entry point controlling compilation process
• test.c: Sample file to test the compiler

Features

• Supports basic integer arithmetic operations: +, -, *, /
• Tokenizes simple C syntax
• Builds and traverses AST
• Modular design for compiler components

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Use MSYS2 MinGW64 Compiler

Build

• Clone the repo: git clone https://github.com/razancodes/C-Compiler.git cd C-Compiler
• Configure test.c for the expression you want:
• Compile our compiler's C source files gcc -o razancompiler lexer.c parser.c ast.c codegen.c main.c ./razancompiler test.c
• Assemble the generated output.s into an object file as -o output.o output.s
• Link the object file into an executable gcc -o rznprogram output.o

Usage

• Run the compiled program Execute Finally as: ./rznprogram
• Use echo $? To get the return value of the program.

Example Usage

The compiler currently handles simple arithmetic in C like: test.c: int main() {return 2+3;} You can compile similar code with this compiler while studying how basic expressions are processed.

Learning Goals

This project provided me with practical insights into:

• Compiler internals such as tokenization, parsing, and code generation.
• Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) design and traversal.
• Building a minimal but functional compilation pipeline.
• Low-level programming concepts underlying high-level languages.

Limitations

• Only basic arithmetic operations are supported.
• No advanced C features like pointers, control flow, or functions.
• Minimal error handling and diagnostic messages.
• Code optimizations are not implemented.

Future Work

Potential extensions to improve this compiler:

• Support for control flow constructs (if, while, for).
• Function definitions and calls support.
• Enhanced type checking and semantic analysis.
• More extensive error reporting.
• Target assembly or machine code generation improvements.

Contributing

Contributions to enhance the compiler or extend supported features are welcome:)) Feel free to open issues or submit pull requests if something doesnt work...

License

Open source for educational and experimental use.

Author

razancodes