Introduction

Welcome to CSCI 1260 at Brown University!

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR FALL 2026 REGISTRATION: We expect there to be room in compilers for everyone who wants a seat. If the course is full, please request an override on CAB. I will not respond to these until shopping period at the earliest. During shopping period, please check enrollment regularly and register directly if there are open seats. Please do not email Rob or the TA staff about getting into this course.

Have you ever wondered why C programs seem to run faster than Python programs? Have you ever been confused by an error message and wondered why Java couldn't understand your program? In CSCI 1260, we'll learn how compilers read in code in one language and produce code in another; in particular, we'll learn how to translate high-level languages to code that your computer's processor can understand. We will get hands-on practice developing compilers for a series of increasingly complex languages. Along the way, we'll learn some general best practices for developing and testing complex software systems.

Lectures take place every Monday and Wednesday from 3:00 - 4:20 PM. All course lectures will be recorded and livestreamed on Panopto.

Staff

Robert Lewis

Professor | rlewis13

Call me Rob! I'm half computer scientist, half mathematician, and fully excited to learn about compilers with you all this semester. Pronouns: he/him/his.

Ilija Ivanov

HTA | iivanov

Hi! I'm a senior from Podgorica, Montenegro studying CS. Looking forward to a great semester with you all! Pronouns: he/him/his.

John Rathgeber

UTA | jrathgeb

Hi! I'm a senior from Madison, Wisconsin studying Math-CS and Music. Outside of CS, I play piano, go to the gym, and play sports. Talk to me about music! My favorite genres recently have been prog rock and yacht rock, and my favorite bands are Electric Light Orchestra, Steely Dan, Dream Theater, Pink Floyd, Genesis, and The Beatles. Excited to meet you all! Pronouns: he/him/his.