What is Pico Compiler?
Pico Compiler is an open-source C compiler written by Daniel Holden. It is designed to be a simple, small, fast C compiler that is easy to understand and modify.
Some key features of Pico Compiler include:
- Supports C99 language features
- Compiles to machine code for x86, ARM, RISC-V, and other architectures
- Small codebase (~5K lines of C code)
- Single pass compiler
- Designed for simplicity and ease of understanding over advanced optimizations
- MIT licensed open-source project
Pico Compiler is a good choice for learning how compilers work or integrating a C compiler into small systems. Its simplified design makes it easy to add backend targets, extend with new language features, or experiment with compiler construction concepts.
While it prioritizes simplicity over performance, it can generate moderately efficient code. The lack of advanced optimizations makes it less suitable for larger, complex C codebases. But for smaller C programs, Pico Compiler provides a fast, understandable compilation solution.