Summary: Lexical Analysis

• Lexical analysis turns input characters into tokens.
• Lexical syntax is described by regular expressions.
• We have learned two ways to construct a lexical analyzer from a grammar for lexical syntax.
• By hand, using a program scheme
• By machine, using JLex to construct of DFA.
• Scanner generator / hand-written scanner
  • Speed
  • Size
  • Flexibility
  • Maintenance
  • Ease of Coding