Writing a compiler from scratch - Erik Schierboom - NDC Oslo 2026
Title history
- Writing a compiler from scratch - Erik Schierboom - NDC Oslo 2026 — observed on 20261028-0452 UTC (YouTube)
Keywords
Summary
140 words
Critical Evaluation
Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument
The information presented is highly valuable for developers seeking to understand compiler internals. The speaker breaks down the process into manageable steps, making an intimidating topic accessible. The argumentation is solid, with each phase building logically on the previous one. Live coding reinforces the explanations, and the speaker addresses common pitfalls (e.g., infinite loops, spacing issues) that learners encounter. The approach of writing a compiler by hand, without external tools, provides a practical foundation. The emphasis on incremental construction and testing ensures that viewers can follow along and replicate the results. The talk successfully argues that compiler construction is not magic but a systematic engineering process.
Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy
The content is scientifically sound, based on standard compiler design principles widely used in the industry. The speaker references well-established concepts such as lexing, parsing, ASTs, and recursive descent parsing. While no external sources are cited during the talk, the technical accuracy is evident from the correct implementation of the algorithms. The description includes links to the conference websites (NDC Conferences, NDC Oslo) which provide context but no additional sources. The title perfectly matches the content, as the entire talk is dedicated to writing a compiler from scratch. The live coding demonstrates practical application of theoretical concepts, enhancing credibility. The absence of external citations is acceptable for a tutorial format, and the speaker’s expertise is clear from the depth and correctness of the implementation.
245 words
Title / Content Match
The title accurately reflects the content: the video is indeed about writing a compiler from scratch, covering all major phases in a live coding session.
Quality & Reliability
8/10
The speaker demonstrates deep expertise in compiler construction, providing a clear step-by-step explanation of lexing, parsing, and compilation. The live coding is accurate and well-structured, though it covers only a trivial language and omits advanced topics. The content aligns with standard compiler design principles.
Key Moments
Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.
- Introduction and why build a compiler
- Syntax and semantics, and the three compiler phases
- Scanner demo: tokenizing simple expressions and handling spaces
- Parser demo: building the AST and handling operator precedence with recursive descent
- Compilation to bytecode, runtime execution, tips for building your own compiler
Cited Sources
- NDC Conferences — Conference website for NDC events
- NDC Oslo — Specific conference website where this talk was recorded
Concurring Sources
- Compiler — Confirms the standard definition of a compiler and its phases.
- Lexical analysis — Corroborates the tokenization process described in the talk.
- Abstract syntax tree — Supports the trees used to represent source code in the parser.
Contribution & Novelties
This talk provides a rare hands-on, from-scratch approach to compiler construction, demonstrating that a functional compiler can be built in under an hour without using parser generators or AI assistance. The incremental, code-along style demystifies complex topics and empowers attendees to replicate the process. The session highlights key design decisions, such as hand-written scanners and recursive descent parsing, and clarifies the distinction between syntax and semantics with concrete examples.
Pour aller plus loin :
- Compiler — Overview of compiler design and phases.
- Lexical analysis — Detailed explanation of scanning and tokenization.
- Recursive descent parser — The parsing technique used in the talk.
- Abstract syntax tree — The data structure representing source code structure.
113 words
Radar Profile
The profile shows a balanced performance across all metrics, with high quality of information and reliability, moderate technical depth, and good quantity of content. This indicates a well-structured tutorial suitable for intermediates, lacking only in advanced topics that are intentionally omitted.