abstract syntax tree

1 definition found

abstract syntax tree - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  abstract syntax tree
  
     <compiler> (AST) A data structure representing something which
     has been parsed, often used as a compiler or interpreter's
     internal representation of a program while it is being
     optimised and from which code generation is performed.  The
     range of all possible such structures is described by the
     abstract syntax.
  
     (1994-11-08)