This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Sudharsan A
Ever wondered how your code actually works behind the scenes? I created a tool that shows you exactly how compilers turn your code into something computers understand. Let me show you what I built!
🚀 Live Demo
Try the Compiler Visualizer here!
Why I Built This
Learning about compilers is hard. Textbooks show confusing diagrams and use technical terms that don't help you really see what happens to your code.
I wanted to change that by creating a tool where you can:
- Type in some code.
- Watch it transform step-by-step.
- Interact with each part of the process.
- Learn compiler concepts by seeing them in action.
What My Tool Shows You
The Compiler Visualizer breaks down the compilation process into six clear steps:
- Lexical Analysis: See your code split into meaningful tokens.
- Syntax Analysis: Explore a visual tree showing your code's structure.
- Semantic Analysis: Check if your code makes logical sense.
- Intermediate Code: View a simplified version of your code.
- Code Optimization: Compare before and after optimization.
- Code Generation: See the assembly instructions created from your code.
How I Built It
I used these main technologies:
- React: For building the user interface.
- Tailwind CSS: For styling everything.
- React D3 Tree: For creating interactive tree diagrams.
- Groq API: For AI-powered code analysis.
The most interesting parts to build were:
The Syntax Tree Viewer
This was tricky! I had to create an interactive tree that shows how expressions are structured. You can:
- Zoom in and out.
- See details about each part of your code.
- Switch between visual and text views.
// A small part of the tree visualization code
<Tree
data={treeData}
orientation="vertical"
renderCustomNodeElement={renderCustomNode}
zoomable
draggable
collapsible={false}
/>`
The Token Table
For the first step of compilation, I built a table that lets you:
- See each piece of your code identified.
- Filter and sort the tokens.
- Understand what the compiler sees.
Showing Code Changes
For the optimization step, I created a side-by-side view that highlights what changed:
// Simplified comparison view
<div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-4">
<div className="original-code">
{originalCode.map(line => (
<pre>{line}</pre>
))}
</div>
<div className="optimized-code">
{optimizedCode.map(line => (
<pre>{line}</pre>
))}
</div>
</div>
Challenges I Faced
Making Complex Ideas Simple
Compilers are complicated! I had to find ways to show complex processes without overwhelming users. I solved this by:
- Using clear, consistent colors for different elements.
- Adding helpful labels.
- Creating informative error messages.
- Providing text explanations alongside visuals.
Creating Accurate Visualizations
Getting the code analysis right was hard. I used the Groq API to help analyze code correctly, and built fallback options for when things get complex.
Keeping It Interactive and Fast
Large code samples can create huge trees and slow down the browser. I added:
- Zoom controls
- Alternative viewing modes
- Responsive sizing for all screens
Try It Yourself!
Visit the Compiler Visualizer and type in a simple expression like a = b + c * d or x = x - 10.
Watch how it flows through each step of compilation. Try different expressions to see how the visualizations change!
Contributing
- The full code is available on GitHub if you want to see how it works or add new features.
If you have suggestions, find bugs, or want to add features, I'd love your help! Feel free to:
- Fork the repository.
- Raise issues for bugs or suggestions.
- Submit pull requests with improvements.
Thanks for reading! If you found this helpful, give it a ❤️ and share it with someone learning about compilers!
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Sudharsan A
Sudharsan A | Sciencx (2025-08-28T15:42:43+00:00) Making Compiler Magic Visible: My Interactive Compiler Visualization Tool. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/08/28/making-compiler-magic-visible-my-interactive-compiler-visualization-tool/
Please log in to upload a file.
There are no updates yet.
Click the Upload button above to add an update.