Token Stream
A token stream is a sequence of tokens produced by a lexer (or tokenizer) during the lexical analysis phase of compilation or parsing. It represents the input source code broken down into meaningful units like keywords, identifiers, operators, and literals, which are then processed by a parser to build an abstract syntax tree (AST). This concept is fundamental in compiler design, interpreters, and text processing tools.
Developers should learn about token streams when working on compilers, interpreters, or any system that involves parsing structured text, such as programming languages, configuration files, or domain-specific languages (DSLs). It's essential for understanding how code is transformed from raw text into executable instructions, enabling tasks like syntax highlighting, code analysis, and language tooling development.