A compiler is one of the most vital parts of a computers system software, translating programs written in a high-level language into low-level commands that the machine can understand and execute. Most compiler design books focus only on techniques for imperative (or procedural) languages like C or Pascal, whereas Modern Compiler Design also covers compilation techniques for object-oriented, functional, logic and distributed languages.

All the authors are experienced teachers and researchers in programming languages and their implementation and have acquired a wealth of experience in compiler construction for a variety of languages. This experience has also been reflected in previous texts on Programming Languages, Programming Distributed Systems and Parsing Techniques.