Source-to-Source Translation
Source-to-source translation is a programming technique where source code in one programming language is automatically transformed into source code in another language, or a different version of the same language. It is often used for code optimization, language migration, or adding new features to existing codebases. This process preserves the high-level structure and readability of the original code, unlike compilation to machine code.
Developers should learn source-to-source translation when working on projects that require modernizing legacy systems, such as upgrading from an older version of a language (e.g., Python 2 to Python 3) or migrating between languages (e.g., JavaScript to TypeScript). It is also valuable for implementing domain-specific optimizations, like transpiling code for different platforms or adding custom language extensions without modifying the original compiler.