Source-To-Source Compilation

Source-to-source compilation describes the automated analysis, transformation and optimization of programming language source code, but instead of generating assembly language or binary machine code as performed by most compilers, aims to re-emit human-readable source code, either in the same or another high-level programming language. Typical applications of source code analysis and transformation systems include indentation tools, code beautifiers and portability utilities. Compilers often spot code transformation opportunities and optimizations not immediately obvious to the programmer, or other compilers. Soure-to-source transformation allows the computer to collaborate with the programmer in code development.

A major utility of source-to-source compilation is in porting code between platforms, library APIs and programming languages.