recursive descent parser

recursive descent parser

(grammar)

A "top-down" parser built from a set of mutually-recursive procedures or a non-recursive equivalent where each such procedure usually implements one of the productions of the grammar. Thus the structure of the resulting program closely mirrors that of the grammar it recognises.

["Recursive Programming Techniques", W.H. Burge, 1975, ISBN 0-201-14450-6].

This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc.org)

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.

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