View source for JavaCC

{{Short description|Parser generator written in Java}}
{{Infobox software
| name                   = JavaCC
| logo                   =
| screenshot             =
| caption                =
| developer              = Oracle
| latest release version = 7.0.10
| latest release date    = {{Start date and age|2020|11|23}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://javacc.github.io/javacc/release-notes.html#javacc-7.0.10|title=MODIFICATIONS IN VERSION 7.0.10 |accessdate=2021-05-14}}</ref>
| latest preview version =
| latest preview date    =
| operating system       =
| platform               = [[Java Virtual Machine]]
| genre                  = parser/scanner generator
| license                = [[BSD license|BSD]]
| website                = {{URL|javacc.org}}
| repo                   = {{URL|https://github.com/javacc/javacc}}}}

'''JavaCC''' ('''Java Compiler Compiler''') is an [[open-source software|open-source]] [[parser generator]] and [[Lexical analysis|lexical analyzer]] generator written in the [[Java (programming language)|Java programming language]].<ref>{{cite web
| url=https://www.javaworld.com/article/2076269/build-your-own-languages-with-javacc.html
| title=Build your own languages with JavaCC
| date=2000-12-29
| last=Enseling|first=Oliver 
| publisher=[[JavaWorld]]
| accessdate=2020-01-02}}</ref>

JavaCC is similar to [[yacc]] in that it generates a [[parser]] from a [[formal grammar]] written in [[Extended Backus–Naur form|EBNF]] notation. Unlike yacc, however, JavaCC generates top-down parsers. JavaCC can resolve choices based on the next ''k'' input tokens, and so can handle [[LL parser|LL(''k'')]] grammars automatically; by use of "lookahead specifications", it can also resolve choices requiring unbounded look ahead.  JavaCC also generates lexical analyzers in a fashion similar to [[Lex (software)|lex]].  The tree builder that accompanies it, JJTree, constructs its trees from the bottom up.

JavaCC is licensed under a [[BSD license]].

==History==
In 1996, [[Sun Microsystems]] released a parser generator called ''Jack''. The developers responsible for ''Jack'' created their own company called Metamata and changed the ''Jack'' name to JavaCC. Metamata eventually became part of WebGain. After WebGain shut down its operations, JavaCC was moved to its current home.

==Uses==
Software built using JavaCC includes:

* [[Apache Derby]]
* [[BeanShell]]
* [[FreeMarker]]
* [[PMD (software)|PMD]]
* [[Vaadin]]
* [[Apache Lucene]]
* [[JavaParser]]

==See also==
{{Portal|Computer programming|Free and open-source software}}
* [[ANTLR]]
* [[SableCC]]
* [[Coco/R]]
* [[Parboiled (Java)|parboiled]]

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*{{Official website}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130608172614/https://javacc.java.net/ Java Compiler Compiler (JavaCC) - The Java Parser Generator]
<!-- *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080924103934/https://javacc.dev.java.net/ A working snapshot of the old official website] - Snapshot archived in 2008 by Internet Archives. Includes more useful content than the current state of the new site. -->
*[http://javacc.org/ JavaCC's New Official Website by April 2017]
*[http://www.engr.mun.ca/~theo/JavaCC-Tutorial/ JavaCC Tutorial]
*[http://www.engr.mun.ca/~theo/JavaCC-FAQ/ JavaCC FAQ]
*[http://generatingparserswithjavacc.com/ A JavaCC book - Generating Parsers with JavaCC] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311225541/http://generatingparserswithjavacc.com/ |date=2014-03-11 }}

[[Category:Parser generators]]
[[Category:Java development tools]]
[[Category:Free software programmed in Java]]
[[Category:Software using the BSD license]]
[[Category:Java (programming language) libraries]]