Solution

The correct answer is Syntax analysis.

Key Points

• Syntax analysis, also known as parsing, is a phase of a compiler where the source code is analyzed to check its grammatical structure according to the programming language's syntax rules.
• During this phase, the compiler generates a symbol table, which is a data structure used to store information about variables, functions, objects, and other identifiers in the program.
• The symbol table helps in keeping track of the scope and binding of names, as well as providing support for semantic analysis and code generation phases.
• Syntax analysis takes the tokenized input from the lexical analysis phase and organizes it into a parse tree or abstract syntax tree (AST) based on the grammar of the language.
• This phase ensures that the program adheres to the structural rules of the language, which is crucial for further stages of compilation.

Additional Information

• Role of Symbol Table:
  • Stores information about identifiers such as variable names, data types, scope, and memory locations.
  • Acts as a reference for the compiler during semantic analysis, intermediate code generation, and optimization stages.
  • Facilitates error detection by ensuring proper usage of variables and functions.
• Phases of a Compiler:
  • Lexical Analysis: Breaks the source code into tokens.
  • Syntax Analysis: Checks the grammatical structure and generates the symbol table.
  • Semantic Analysis: Ensures the meaning of the program is correct.
  • Intermediate Code Generation: Converts the program into an intermediate representation.
  • Code Optimization: Optimizes the intermediate code for efficiency.
  • Target Code Generation: Produces the final machine code for execution.
• Important Points:
  • Syntax analysis is critical for detecting structural errors in the program.
  • The symbol table plays a central role in linking variables, functions, and other entities during compilation.
  • Proper syntax analysis ensures that the program can move seamlessly to subsequent stages of compilation.