Abstract Syntax Trees
An Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) is a tree representation of the abstract syntactic structure of source code written in a programming language. It captures the hierarchical relationships between code elements like expressions, statements, and declarations, while omitting details like punctuation and formatting. ASTs are fundamental in compilers, interpreters, and static analysis tools for parsing, transforming, and analyzing code.
Developers should learn about ASTs when working on tasks involving code manipulation, such as building compilers, linters, code formatters, or transpilers, as they provide a structured way to analyze and transform code. They are essential for implementing features like refactoring tools, syntax highlighting, and code generation in IDEs, and are used in tools like Babel for JavaScript transpilation or ESLint for static analysis.