javacc ☆

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Description:
Parser generator for use with Java applications

Type: Formula | Tracked Since: Dec 28, 2025

Links: Homepage | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Developer tools

Tags: parser-generator java compiler development dsl

Install: brew install javacc

About:
JavaCC is a widely used parser generator that reads a grammar specification and generates Java source code to parse input according to that grammar. It enables developers to build robust parsers, compilers, and translators for custom languages or complex data formats. Its main value is simplifying the complex task of lexical analysis and syntax parsing by automating the code generation process.

Key Features:

Generates pure Java code for easy integration
Supports multi-language grammars (Java, C#, Python, etc.)
Top-down parsing approach allows for intuitive grammar design
Integrated with JJTree to build Abstract Syntax Trees (ASTs)
Lexical analysis with token manager and lookahead specifications

Use Cases:

Building custom Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs)
Parsing complex configuration or data files (e.g., JSON, XML variants)
Creating compilers or interpreters for new programming languages
Processing and transforming structured text data

Alternatives:

ANTLR – More powerful LL(*) parser but with a steeper learning curve and different runtime dependencies
Flex/Bison – Standard for C/C++ but requires a C toolchain and is less integrated with the Java ecosystem
CUP – LALR parser generator for Java, generally more compact but with less readable error messages

Version History

Detected	Version	Rev	Change	Commit
Sep 14, 2024 9:29am		0	VERSION_BUMP	9cbb2030