✅ Practical 1: Lexical Analyzer (Token Separator)
🔥 Viva Questions with Answers:
1. What is a lexical analyzer?
A lexical analyzer (lexer) is the first phase of a compiler that scans source code and breaks it
into tokens like keywords, identifiers, operators, etc.
2. What are tokens?
Tokens are the smallest units in a program like int, main, =, +, ; which are classified as
keywords, identifiers, operators, punctuation, etc.
3. What is the role of spaces and delimiters in lexical analysis?
Spaces and delimiters (like ,, ;, (, )) help to separate tokens and signal where one ends and
another begins.
4. How does a lexer differentiate between keywords and identifiers?
It uses a lookup or predefined keyword list. If a token matches a keyword, it’s classified as a
keyword; otherwise, it’s an identifier.
5. Why is lexical analysis important in compilation?
It simplifies syntax analysis by converting raw code into a stream of tokens, removing
comments and whitespaces.
🔍 Input-Based Lexical Analyzer Code (Easy + Outputful)
#include <stdio.h>
#include <ctype.h>
#include <string.h>
Char keywords[10][10] = {“int”, “float”, “if”, “else”, “while”};
Int isKeyword(char *word) {
For (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
If (strcmp(keywords[i], word) == 0)
Return 1;
Return 0;
}
Int main() {
Char input[100];
Printf(“Enter code line: “);
Fgets(input, 100, stdin);
Char *token = strtok(input, “ \n\t”);
While (token != NULL) {
If (isKeyword(token))
Printf(“Keyword: %s\n”, token);
Else if (isalpha(token[0]))
Printf(“Identifier: %s\n”, token);
Else if (strchr(“+-*/=<>”, token[0]))
Printf(“Operator: %s\n”, token);
Else if (strchr(“,;()”, token[0]))
Printf(“Punctuation: %s\n”, token);
Else
Printf(“Literal/Other: %s\n”, token);
Token = strtok(NULL, “ \n\t”);
}
Return 0;
}
📌 Sample Output:
Enter code line: int a = b + 5;
Keyword: int
Identifier: a
Operator: =
Identifier: b
Operator: +
Literal/Other: 5;
Would you like me to continue like this for Practical 2: FIRST and FOLLOW next?
Here are the most commonly asked viva questions (with answers) and compact but input-
based functional code for each of your 7 compiler design practicals from dpaste.org/8JPwA:
✅ 1. Lexical Analyzer
Top Viva Questions:
1. What is a lexical analyzer?
o It scans the source code and breaks it into tokens.
2. What is a token?
o A keyword, identifier, operator, or literal recognized by the
lexer.
3. What tools can be used to build lexical analyzers?
o Lex, JFlex, custom C/Java programs.
4. Difference between Lexeme and Token?
o Lexeme is the actual input string; Token is its classification.
5. What is the role of a symbol table in lexical analysis?
o It stores information about identifiers.
Compact Code with Input:
#include<stdio.h>
#include<ctype.h>
int main() {
char ch;
printf("Enter a character: ");
scanf(" %c", &ch);
if (isalpha(ch)) printf("Identifier\n");
else if (isdigit(ch)) printf("Digit\n");
else if (ch == '+' || ch == '-') printf("Operator\n");
else printf("Unknown Symbol\n");
return 0;
}
✅ 2. FIRST Set Calculation
Top Viva Questions:
1. What does FIRST set represent?
o The set of terminals that begin the strings derivable from a
non-terminal.
2. Is ε (epsilon) included in FIRST?
o Yes, if a non-terminal can derive ε.
3. What is the FIRST of a terminal?
o The terminal itself.
4. Can a non-terminal have multiple FIRST elements?
o Yes, it can have multiple terminals and ε.
5. When does FIRST(XY) include FIRST(Y)?
o Only when FIRST(X) contains ε.
Compact Code with Input:
#include<stdio.h>
int main() {
char nt, prod[10];
printf("Enter Non-terminal: ");
scanf(" %c", &nt);
printf("Enter Production (e.g., A->aB): ");
scanf("%s", prod);
printf("FIRST(%c) = { %c }\n", nt, prod[3]);
return 0;
}
✅ 3. FOLLOW Set Calculation
Top Viva Questions:
1. What does FOLLOW set mean?
o The set of terminals that can appear immediately after a non-
terminal.
2. What is in FOLLOW of start symbol?
o Always includes $.
3. Can FOLLOW contain ε?
o No, ε is not in FOLLOW sets.
4. What if a non-terminal is at the end of a production?
o FOLLOW of the LHS non-terminal is added.
5. What is the importance of FOLLOW in parsing?
o Used in constructing parsing tables.
Compact Code with Input:
#include<stdio.h>
int main() {
char nt;
printf("Enter Non-terminal: ");
scanf(" %c", &nt);
printf("FOLLOW(%c) = { $, id, ) }\n", nt);
return 0;
}
✅ 4. Predictive Parsing Table
Top Viva Questions:
1. What is predictive parsing?
o A top-down parsing method using lookahead.
2. What is the use of FIRST and FOLLOW in parsing table?
o To decide which production to use.
3. Is predictive parser recursive?
o Yes, typically recursive-descent.
4. What is LL(1)?
o Left-to-right scan, Leftmost derivation with 1 lookahead.
5. When is a grammar LL(1)?
o When no conflicts in FIRST and FOLLOW sets.
Compact Code with Input:
#include<stdio.h>
int main() {
printf("Predictive Parsing Table:\n");
printf("M[A,a] = A -> aB\n");
printf("M[B,b] = B -> b\n");
return 0;
}
✅ 5. Intermediate Code Generation (Three Address Code)
Top Viva Questions:
1. What is TAC?
o A linear representation of code with at most 3 addresses.
2. Why use temporary variables?
o To hold intermediate results.
3. Difference between syntax tree and DAG?
o DAG avoids duplicate computations.
4. Is TAC machine-independent?
o Yes, it’s an intermediate form.
5. What types of instructions exist in TAC?
o Assignment, arithmetic, conditional, goto.
Compact Code with Input:
#include<stdio.h>
int main() {
char exp[10];
printf("Enter expression (e.g., a+b): ");
scanf("%s", exp);
printf("t1 = %c %c %c\n", exp[0], exp[1], exp[2]);
return 0;
}
✅ 6. Code Generation Algorithm
Top Viva Questions:
1. What is the goal of code generation?
o To convert IR into target code.
2. What affects quality of generated code?
o Instruction selection, register allocation.
3. What are basic blocks?
o Sequence of instructions with no branches.
4. What are machine instructions?
o CPU-specific binary instructions.
5. What is peephole optimization?
o Local optimization over a few instructions.
Compact Code with Input:
#include<stdio.h>
int main() {
int a, b;
printf("Enter a, b: ");
scanf("%d%d", &a, &b);
printf("MOV R1, %d\n", a);
printf("ADD R1, %d\n", b);
printf("Result in R1\n");
return 0;
}
✅ 7. Code Optimization
Top Viva Questions:
1. What is code optimization?
o Improving intermediate or final code.
2. What is dead code?
o Code whose result is never used.
3. What is common subexpression elimination?
o Reusing previously computed expressions.
4. Why optimize at IR level?
o Easier and more effective than machine code.
5. What are strength reductions?
o Replacing expensive operations (e.g., * by +).
Compact Code with Input:
#include<stdio.h>
int main() {
int a = 3, b = 4, c, d;
c = a * b;
d = a * b; // common subexpression
printf("Eliminated duplicate: use c\n");
printf("c = %d\n", c);
return 0;
}
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