Building Parsers with Java™

3.1. Design Overview

Usually the first step in designing a parser is to think of some sample strings that you want your parser to recognize. To parse this set of strings, you will create a new language. A language is always a set of strings, and your language will become a set that includes your sample strings.

You can begin to design your parser by writing the rules, or grammar, of your language. (Section 3.4, “Grammars: A Shorthand for Parsers,” explains how to write your grammar.) Your parser will recognize strings that follow the rules of your grammar. Once you have a grammar, you can write the Java code for your parser as a direct translation of the grammar rules.

The other main aspect of a parser's design is the design of your assemblers. ...