yaccbison

YACCBison is an open-source parser generator that provides a modern, YACC-compatible workflow for creating parsers in C and C++. It accepts grammars written in the traditional YACC/Bison syntax and produces generated parser code along with a minimal runtime library. The project aims to combine the stability of classic tools with contemporary language features and improved diagnostics.

Key features include compatibility with YACC-style grammars, support for LALR(1) and generalized parsing, automatic generation of abstract syntax trees, and rich error reporting. The runtime is designed to be lightweight, with optional hooks for debugging and tracing. It supports semantic actions written in C++ and can target multiple platforms, including cross-compilation environments.

Architecture: The tool consists of a grammar front-end and a code-generation back-end. The front-end validates syntax, resolves conflicts, and constructs parse tables; the back-end emits portable C++ source files and a small runtime library. The generated parser is designed to integrate with common build systems and tooling, and it aims for deterministic builds and readable output.

Usage: Users write a .y grammar file, run the YACCBison compiler to produce parser.cpp and parser.hpp, then compile with their project build system. YACCBison includes example grammars, diagnostic messages to aid debugging, and an optional incremental build mode to speed up development cycles.

History and license: YACCBison originated as an open-source effort in the early 2020s by a community of language tooling enthusiasts. It is released under the MIT License and welcomes contributions via its public repository. The project has published several major releases that focus on improving error messages, performance, and compatibility with legacy YACC grammars.

See also: YACC, Bison, ANTLR.