CST to AST in ANTLR4

The main goal is to modernize the legacy DFM front end code into modern React/TypeScript alternatives. To achieve this, we will need to convert our parse trees into abstract syntax trees.

First, let's understand the difference between the two tree formats.

Parse Tree (Concrete Syntax Tree)

A Parse Tree is a hierarchical representation of the syntactic structure of a program according to the rules of a formal grammar. It captures the complete structure of the input code, including all the syntactic details, such as parentheses, semicolons, and other language-specific constructs. Each node in the tree corresponds to a specific grammar rule or terminal symbol in the input code. Parse trees are often generated by a parser during the initial phase of compilation.

Advantages of Parse Trees:

  • Preserve all syntactic details: Parse trees retain all the syntactic elements of the input code, making them useful for certain analysis tasks, such as source code transformations or code generation.

  • Direct mapping to grammar rules: Each node in the parse tree corresponds to a specific production rule in the grammar, facilitating a one-to-one mapping between the code and its syntactic representation.

Disadvantages of Parse Trees:

  • Redundant information: Parse trees can contain a lot of redundant information due to their detailed representation of the syntax, making them larger and potentially more complex than necessary.

  • Not optimized for analysis: The parse tree may not be the most efficient representation for performing certain analysis tasks, as it retains information that is not always relevant for these tasks.

Abstract Syntax Tree (AST)

An Abstract Syntax Tree is an abstracted representation of the syntactic structure of a program, focusing on the essential elements and their relationships. It captures the underlying structure and semantics of the code, excluding unnecessary syntactic details. ASTs are usually generated from parse trees as a subsequent step in the compilation process, often during the semantic analysis phase.

Advantages of Abstract Syntax Trees:

  • Compact and focused representation: ASTs eliminate redundant details and focus on the essential structure of the program, providing a more concise representation of the code.

  • Semantically meaningful: ASTs capture the semantic structure of the code, making them well-suited for various analysis tasks, such as type checking, optimization, and interpretation.

  • Language-independent: ASTs can be designed to represent the essential elements of the code in a language-independent manner, allowing for easier analysis and transformation across different programming languages.

Disadvantages of Abstract Syntax Trees:

  • Loss of syntactic details: ASTs abstract away certain syntactic elements, which may be required for certain analysis or transformation tasks that rely on detailed syntax information.

  • Additional processing required: Generating an AST requires an additional step after parsing, adding some overhead to the compilation process.