recursive descent parser


recursive descent parser

(grammar)A "top-down" parser built from a set ofmutually-recursive procedures or a non-recursive equivalentwhere each such procedure usually implements one of theproductions of the grammar. Thus the structure of theresulting program closely mirrors that of the grammar itrecognises.

["Recursive Programming Techniques", W.H. Burge, 1975, ISBN0-201-14450-6].

recursive descent parser

Software that breaks down XML data or source code into a visual tree for clarity. Known as a "top-down parser," a recursive descent parser reads the input from left to right in contrast to a "bottom-up parser" (such as a shift-reduce parser) that starts with the right side of a grammatical entity. See XML, parse and recursion.