So, you want to design your own language? Of course you do. Or perhaps you are taking a class and are being forced to create a programming language under penalty of a bad grade. What kinds of things do you need to know?

CONTENTS • Designing a Language • Prerequisites • Getting Ready • Getting Started • Choosing a Starter Set of Features • From Features To Abstract Syntax • From Abstract Syntax to Concrete Syntax • Defining Your Language • Prototyping • Examples • More Examples • Recall Practice • Summary

Designing a Language Of course you want to design (and implement!) your own programming language! It’s fun. It’s creative. It’s empowering.

How do we do it? In a nutshell, the process is iterative, cycling between four phases: