Target Code Generation

Back to Compiler Design
Arjit Sharma
01 Min

What Is Target Code Generation?

This is the phase where the compiler translates intermediate code into machine code that can be executed on a specific processor (like x86, ARM, RISC-V).

It’s the final transformation before the program becomes runnable.

What Happens in This Phase?

The compiler:

  • Maps operations to actual instructions supported by the CPU

    Example: t1 = a + b → ADD R1, R2, R3

  • Assigns variables to registers or memory

  • Generates instructions for arithmetic, memory access, jumps, etc.

The result may be Assembly code (human-readable) or Binary/executable code (for the machine)

Example: Three-Address Code to Assembly

IR:

t1 = a + b
t2 = t1 * c

Target Code (x86-like):

MOV R1, a
ADD R1, b
MOV R2, c
MUL R2, R1
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