Compiler Phase for Symbol Table Creation

The question asks to identify the compiler phase responsible for producing the symbol table. Based on the provided options, the correct phase is Syntax Analysis.

Role of Syntax Analysis in Symbol Table Production

The Syntax Analysis phase, also known as parsing, is responsible for analyzing the structure of the source code based on the grammar rules of the programming language. During this process, it identifies various elements like identifiers (variables, functions, etc.).

• As the parser builds the parse tree or abstract syntax tree, it encounters identifiers.
• Information about these identifiers, such as their names and types (often inferred or checked later), needs to be stored.
• The symbol table serves as the data structure to store this information about identifiers.
• Therefore, the Syntax Analysis phase initiates and contributes significantly to the population of the symbol table by recording details of identifiers as they are discovered in the code's structure.

While other phases like Semantic Analysis heavily utilize and enrich the symbol table, the initial creation and population often begin during Syntax Analysis.