Compilers and Interpreters¶
A compiler is a pipeline of meaning-preserving transformations; an interpreter is an execution strategy, not the opposite of compilation.
flowchart LR
S[Source] --> T[Tokens] --> A[AST] --> IR[IR / bytecode] --> C[Machine behavior]
| Level | Focus |
|---|---|
| Junior | Tokens, syntax, AST, execution |
| Middle | Semantic analysis, IR, optimization |
| Senior | correctness, diagnostics, deoptimization |
| Professional | real compiler pipelines and operations |
Practice: inspect the AST and bytecode or assembly of one small function.