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Abstract syntax tree

An abstract syntax tree (AST) is a tree data structure used in computer science to represent the abstract syntactic structure of text, often source code, written in a formal language. Each node of the tree denotes a construct occurring in the text. It is sometimes called simply a syntax tree.

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Other applications

Static analysisLintingRefactoringESLintClang
8 related topics

Application in compilers

Data structuresCompilersSyntax analysisSymbol tableType checking
7 related topics

History

John McCarthyLispArtificial IntelligenceS-expressionTREE-META
5 related topics

Formalization

Arities
1 related topics

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Application in compilers

Other applications

Formalization

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Map overview Semantic statistics

Abstract syntax tree

Nodes35
Edges34
Triples116
Avg. degree1.94
Density0.057143
Components1

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Abstract syntax tree

Top relations

related to Further reading · 41
Abstract syntax tree → Abstract Syntax Tree Implementation, ACM, Archived, AST, August, Cambridge University Press, Diploma, Foster, Hicks, Idioms, Improving Abstract Syntax Tree, International Workshop, Iulian, Jason, Jeffrey, Joel, Jones, July, Lucas, Matching
related to External links · 24
Abstract syntax tree → Abstract Syntax Tree Metamodeling, Abstract Syntax Tree Unparsing, ADM, API, Architecture-Driven Modernization, AST, AST Explorer, AST View, ASTM, ASTs, CAST, Eclipse, Eclipse IDE, Go, It, Java, Java Code Manipulation, JavaParser, JavaScript, OMG
see also · 12
Abstract syntax tree → Abstract, ASG, Backus, DAG, Document Object Model, DOM, Expression, Naur, Shunting-yard, SRT, Symbol, Syntax Tree Interpreters
related to ASTs · 8
Abstract syntax tree → Arity, ASTs, Fix, If, Let, Operators, The, Variables
has application · 2
Abstract syntax tree → Applications, Beyond
related to Application in compilers · 2
Abstract syntax tree → Abstract, An AST

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Important terminology

ast syntax tree abstract code source structure program may used information analysis representation compiler represented concrete example nodes asts syntactic

Entity relationships Subject–Predicate–Object triples

SubjectPredicateObjectConfidenceSrc
bracesinstance ofpunctuation and delimiters0.80text
semicolonsinstance ofpunctuation and delimiters0.80text
and parentheses may be omitted from an AST.This distinguishes an abstract syntax tree from a concrete syntax treeinstance ofpunctuation and delimiters0.80text
traditionally called a parse treeinstance ofpunctuation and delimiters0.80text
expressionsinstance ofAn AST instead retains the structure considered significant for subsequent processing while omitting some details of the concrete syntax.This structured representation allows so…0.80text
statementsinstance ofAn AST instead retains the structure considered significant for subsequent processing while omitting some details of the concrete syntax.This structured representation allows so…0.80text
declarationsinstance ofAn AST instead retains the structure considered significant for subsequent processing while omitting some details of the concrete syntax.This structured representation allows so…0.80text
and identifiers rather than treating the source solely as a sequence of charactersinstance ofAn AST instead retains the structure considered significant for subsequent processing while omitting some details of the concrete syntax.This structured representation allows so…0.80text
type checking.Some properties of a program cannot be determined from its context-free syntax aloneinstance ofthis information can subsequently be used for tasks0.80text
whether an identifier refers to an appropriate declaration or whether an expression has a valid type depend on information about declarationsinstance ofsemantic constraints0.80text
the surrounding programinstance ofsemantic constraints0.80text
symbol tables.DesignThe structure of an AST depends on the constructs of the source languageinstance ofusing information represented by the AST together with structures0.80text

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