Theory → Formal Languages
Grammar
A formal system of production rules for generating strings in a language.
Motivation
Grammar solves the problem of specifying how valid strings or programs are formed.
Where it fits
Grammar belongs to formal languages, parsing, and programming languages.
Mental model
A grammar is a rule system for building valid sentences from symbols.
Common mistakes
- Confusing syntax rules with semantic meaning.
- Assuming all grammars are equally easy to parse.
Related concepts
Grammar connects to formal language, parser, AST, context-free language, and compiler.