Behind the Scenes: Query Language Parsing
Blog post from Steadybit
The blog post explores the implementation of a query language's lexer and parser, focusing on how ANTLR is utilized to create Java and JavaScript lexers and parsers for Steadybit's query language. The language aims to identify targets like hosts and Kubernetes workloads for executing actions and is inspired by SQL and Lucene query syntaxes. By leveraging ANTLR, the blog explains how existing open-source grammars are adapted to fit specific needs, simplifying the process and avoiding common pitfalls. The article discusses the integration of generated code using Maven build plugins and highlights the process of translating parse trees into object hierarchies compatible with existing codebases. The post concludes that the query language is now ready for integration with other product components, with future articles set to explore further aspects of its implementation.