JavaCC
| Stable release | 6.1.1
/ May 5, 2014 |
|---|---|
| Repository | |
| Platform | Java Virtual Machine |
| Type | parser/scanner generator |
| License | BSD |
| Website | java javacc |
JavaCC (Java Compiler Compiler) is an open source parser generator and lexical analyzer generator for the Java programming language. JavaCC is similar to yacc in that it generates a parser from a formal grammar written in EBNF notation, except the output is Java source code.
Unlike yacc, however, JavaCC generates top-down parsers, which limits it to the LL(k) class of grammars (in particular, left recursion cannot be used). JavaCC also generates lexical analyzers in a fashion similar to lex.
JavaCC is licensed under a BSD license.
History
In 1996, Sun Microsystems released a parser generator called Jack. The developers responsible for Jack created their own company called Metamata and changed the Jack name to JavaCC. Metamata eventually became part of WebGain. After WebGain shut down its operations, JavaCC was moved to its current home.
Features
Aside from the expected features of parser generators, JavaCC also has the following features which help to distinguish it from its peers:
- Generates lightweight pure-Java parsers, with no external dependencies. No jar at all required at runtime.
- The tree builder that accompanies it, JJTree, constructs its trees from the bottom up.
- Can optionally generated GWT compatible parser - 6.1.0 and above [1]
- C++ Code generation (6.0.0 and above)
Maven Integration
The Mojo JavaCC Maven plugin has not been updated in several years, but is forward-compatible with the most recent release via the following POM configuration snippet [2].
<build>
<plugins>
<plugin>
<groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
<artifactId>javacc-maven-plugin</artifactId>
<version>2.6</version>
<executions>
<execution>
<goals>
<goal>javacc</goal>
</goals>
</execution>
</executions>
<dependencies>
<dependency>
<groupId>net.java.dev.javacc</groupId>
<artifactId>javacc</artifactId>
<version>6.1.1</version>
</dependency>
</dependencies>
</plugin>
</plugins>
</build>
Where is it used?
Here is a non-comprehensive list of software built using JavaCC:
See also
References
- ^ "Building parsers for the web with JavaCC & GWT (Part one)". Chris Ainsley. Retrieved 2014-05-04.
- ^ "Configuring the JavaCC Maven Plugin for JavaCC 6.1.1 or above". Chris Ainsley. Retrieved 2014-05-04.