Kent Dybvig's Compiler Works | Generated by AI
Question: What are Kent Dybvig’s books on compilers?
Answer:
R. Kent Dybvig, a prominent computer scientist known for his work on the Chez Scheme implementation, has not authored standalone books exclusively focused on compilers. However, his writings and research heavily intersect with compiler design, particularly through the development of Scheme compilers. His primary contributions in this area are academic papers and educational materials rather than traditional textbooks. Below is a summary of key relevant works:
Key Books
- The Scheme Programming Language (4th Edition) (2009, MIT Press)
This is Dybvig’s flagship book, serving as both an introduction to Scheme (a Lisp dialect) and a comprehensive reference. It includes detailed discussions on Scheme’s semantics, implementation strategies, and compiler-related topics like continuations, macros, and code generation. While not a pure compiler textbook, it covers practical aspects of implementing Scheme compilers, drawing from Dybvig’s experience with Chez Scheme. It’s often used in advanced programming and compiler courses.
Key Papers and Educational Works on Compilers
Dybvig’s compiler-focused contributions are primarily in peer-reviewed papers and course materials, emphasizing the “nanopass” framework—a modular, incremental approach to compiler construction that’s highly influential in education and practice:
- A Nanopass Framework for Compiler Education (2004, ICFP; expanded in Journal of Functional Programming, 2007)
Co-authored with Dipanwita Sarkar and Oscar Waddell. Introduces the nanopass infrastructure for teaching compilers, breaking down the process into small, manageable passes. This framework was originally for education but later proven efficient for production compilers like Chez Scheme. - A Nanopass Framework for Commercial Compiler Development (2013, ICFP)
Co-authored with Andrew W. Keep. Demonstrates the nanopass approach’s scalability to real-world compilers, refuting early concerns about efficiency. It details the rewrite of Chez Scheme using this method. - Compiler Construction Using Scheme (1995, Springer Lecture Notes in Computer Science)
Co-authored with Daniel P. Friedman. Describes a course on building a Scheme compiler that generates native assembly code, focusing on practical implementation for real architectures.
These works stem from Dybvig’s course P523 (Compiler Construction) at Indiana University, where students build multiple compilers incrementally—often 15 “nanopass” versions in one semester—using Scheme. The approach prioritizes clarity and modularity over monolithic designs.
For hands-on learning, Dybvig’s materials are available through Indiana University’s resources, and his nanopass framework has inspired tools like the one used in Racket’s compiler education. If you’re interested in Scheme implementation, start with The Scheme Programming Language as it provides foundational insights.
References:
- R. Kent Dybvig - Wikipedia
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[My First Fifteen Compilers SIGPLAN Blog](https://blog.sigplan.org/2019/07/09/my-first-fifteen-compilers/) - dblp: R. Kent Dybvig
- The Scheme Programming Language, fourth edition: Amazon
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[Compiler construction using scheme SpringerLink](https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/3-540-60675-0_49)