UNIT-I

LEXICAL ANALYSIS

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 UNIT 1 LEXICAL ANALYSIS

• Structure of compiler
• Functions and Roles of lexical phase
• Input buffering
• Representation of tokens using regular expression
• Properties of regular expression
• Finite Automata
• Regular Expression to Finite Automata
• NFA to Minimized DFA.

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 Outline
• Finite Automata
– Non-Deterministic Finite Automata(NFA)
– Deterministic Finite Automata(DFA)
– Conversion of Regular Expression to
NFA(Thompson’s Construction)
– Conversion of NFA to DFA(Subset Construction
Method)
– Conversion of DFA to Minimized DFA

• Assignments

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 What is Finite Automata?
• A recognizer for a language is a program that takes as input a string x
and answers “yes” if x is a sentence of the language and “no”
otherwise.

• Finite automata: a generalized transition diagram to compile regular

expression into a recognizer.

• A machine that accepts Regular Language.

Applications:
– Compliers
– Text processing
– Hardware design

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 Types of Automata

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 Finite Automata
• Both DFA and NFA are capable of recognizing the regular sets.
(what a regular expression denote.)
• Time-space Trade-off:
– DFA can lead to fast recognizers than NFA.
– DFA can be much larger than an equivalent NFA.

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 Non-Deterministic Finite Automata
• NFA is a mathematical model that consists of:
– a set of states s
– a set of input symbols ∑ (input symbol alphabet)
– a transition function move that maps state-symbol pairs to set of
states
– a state s0 that is distinguished as the start or initial state
– a set of states F distinguished as accepting or final states.

• An NFA can be represented diagrammatically by a labelled directed graph

called a transition graph.
• The nodes are states and the labelled edges represent the transition function.
• This graph looks like a transition diagram, but the same character can label
two or more transitions out of one state.
• Edges can be labelled by the special symbol ε .
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 NFA-Example
NFA for (a|b)*abb
a

start a b b
0 1 2 3
Transition Table

• the set of states of the NFA is {0,1,2,3}

• the input symbol alphabet is {a,b}
• state 0 is start state
• The accepting state 3 is indicated by double circle.
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 Formal definition of NFA

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 DFA (Deterministic Finite Automata)
• DFA is a special case of NFA in which:
• for each state s and input symbol a ,there is at
most one edge labeled a leaving s.
i.e. only one path for specific input symbol from
the current state to the next state.
• no state has an ε-transition i.e. a transition on
input a .
• Each entry in the transition table of a DFA is a single
state.

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 Formal Definition of DFA

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 DFA vs. NFA
DFA NFA
DFA can be understood as one Multiple small machines
machine. computing at the same time.
Difficult to construct - Complex Easier to construct.
structure.
Rejects the string if not terminated Rejects only after multiple
at the accepting state. checks.
Less execution time on input string. More execution time.

All DFA are derived from NFA. Not all NFA are DFA.
DFA requires more space. Requires less Space.
The next possible state is clearly Ambiguity occurs.
set.

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 Finite Automata Notations
• A state

• Start State

• Accepting State

• A transition label

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 Conversion Process
Regular Expression Thompson’s
Construction
Method
NFA

DFA

Minimized DFA

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 Regular Expressions to NFA
(Thompson’s Construction Method)
• For each kind of RE, define an NFA.
• Input: A Regular Expression r over an alphabet ∑
• Output: An NFA N accepting L(r)
• Method:
start ε
Step 1: For  i f

The NFA recognizes {}

Step 2: For a in ∑ start a

i f

The NFA recognizes {a}

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 Thompson’s Construction Method
Step 3: RE=a |b
a
1 2
ε ε
start
0
5
ε ε
3 4
The NFA recognizes {a,b} b

Step 4: RE=ab

start a b a ε
OR start
0 1 2 0 1 2 b 3

The NFA recognizes {ab}

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 Thompson’s Construction Method
Step 5: RE=a* ε

start ε a ε
0 1 2 3

The NFA recognizes {ε,a,aa,aaa,.......}

Step 6: RE= a+
= a.a*
Follow step 4 for construction.

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March 2, 2025 SCS1303 Compiler Design 18
 Problem 1
• Construct Non deterministic Finite Automata for the
following regular expression using Thompson’s
Construction method.

a. (a|b)*abb
b. (a|b)*
c. (a*|b*)*
d. ((ε|a)b*)*
e. (0|123)*

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 Example 1
• Decomposition of (a|b)*abb
r11 start a
0 1
r9
r10 start b
r7 2 3
r8
r5 b
r6 a
b 1 2
r4 * ε ε
a start
( r3 ) 0
5
r1 r2 ε ε
| 3 4
b
a b

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 Example 1(contd.)
• Decomposition of (a|b)*abb
r11
r9 ε
r10
r7 a
r8 2 3
r5 b ε
ε
0ε 1
start
r6 b ε
r4 6 7
*
a ε 4 5 ε
( r3 ) b

r1 | r2 ε
a b

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 Example 1(contd.)
• Decomposition of (a|b)*abb

r11
r9 ε
r10
r7 a
r8 2 3
r5 b ε
ε
0ε 1
start a
r6 b ε 8
r4 6 7
*
a ε 4 5 ε
( r3 ) b

r1 | r2 ε
a b

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 NFA for (a|b)*abb

a
2 3
ε
ε
start 0 ε 1
6 ε 7 a 8 b 9 b 10

ε
4 5 ε
b

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 Assignment
• Construct Non deterministic Finite Automata for the
following regular expression using Thompson’s
Construction method.

a. (a|b)*abb
b. (a|b)*
c. aa*|bb*
d. ((ε|a)b*)*
e. (0|123)*

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 THANK YOU

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