Spirit Parser library is a framework that generates an object-oriented, recursive descent parser. It is designed to simplify the parsing process.
I recently had the opportunity to review the Spirit framework, which is a powerful object-oriented recursive descent parser generator implemented using cutting-edge template meta-programming techniques. By utilizing expression templates, Spirit is able to faithfully simulate the syntax of Extended Backus Normal Form (EBNF) in C++, giving users a robust and flexible tool for analyzing various grammars.
One of the key strengths of Spirit is the way in which parser objects can be composed through operator overloading, resulting in a backtracking LL(inf) parser capable of parsing even the most ambiguous grammars. Specifically, the framework facilitates the writing of target grammars exclusively in C++, allowing inline EBNF grammar specifications to be integrated seamlessly with other C++ code. Additionally, the generative power of C++ templates means that these inline grammars are executable immediately.
Compared to the more traditional compiler-compilers and parser-generators, Spirit stands out for its lack of an additional translation step from the source EBNF code to C/C++ code. Furthermore, as part of the broader Boost Libraries community, Spirit benefits not just from the work of its own contributors, but from a larger collaborative development effort as well.
In terms of recent updates, the most recent release of Spirit includes several bug fixes and updates to its Jamfile, Jamrules, and boost-build.jam files. Additionally, the latest version disables template multi-threading in certain contexts and fixes an inconsistency related to if_p. Overall, however, the strength of the Spirit framework lies in its ability to provide developers with a powerful, flexible tool for building custom parsers in C++.
One of the key strengths of Spirit is the way in which parser objects can be composed through operator overloading, resulting in a backtracking LL(inf) parser capable of parsing even the most ambiguous grammars. Specifically, the framework facilitates the writing of target grammars exclusively in C++, allowing inline EBNF grammar specifications to be integrated seamlessly with other C++ code. Additionally, the generative power of C++ templates means that these inline grammars are executable immediately.
Compared to the more traditional compiler-compilers and parser-generators, Spirit stands out for its lack of an additional translation step from the source EBNF code to C/C++ code. Furthermore, as part of the broader Boost Libraries community, Spirit benefits not just from the work of its own contributors, but from a larger collaborative development effort as well.
In terms of recent updates, the most recent release of Spirit includes several bug fixes and updates to its Jamfile, Jamrules, and boost-build.jam files. Additionally, the latest version disables template multi-threading in certain contexts and fixes an inconsistency related to if_p. Overall, however, the strength of the Spirit framework lies in its ability to provide developers with a powerful, flexible tool for building custom parsers in C++.
What's New
Version 1.8.2: N/A