12.2.5 Code Generation

Table-driven techniques increase the portability of the compiler, but often a few machine-dependent features can make the code generator more efficient. Code generation requires a balance between flexibility and the use of known machine details.

Although most of this book has presumed generation of assembly language, most compiler people would maintain that generating assembler code is not a production-quality technique.

Debugger interaction with highly optimized code is difficult unless the compiler leaves a clear trail of the changes made. Standardization of object file formats has been proposed, but not accepted yet.