Parsing expression grammar
This is like giving a recipe to a computer that tells it what to do with numbers, words, and symbols so it can understand what you want it to do.
Think of it like a little kid trying to understand a math problem. If someone asks them "What is 3 plus 4 times 5?" they might be confused because they don't know what order to do the math in. But if we teach them the rule "do multiplication before addition" then they can figure it out: first, 4 times 5 is 20, and then 3 plus 20 is 23.
That's what a parsing expression grammar does for a computer. It gives the computer rules for how to read and understand expressions made up of numbers, words, and symbols. For example, it might say "always do multiplication and division before addition and subtraction." So if the computer sees the expression "2 + 3 * 4" it will know to do the multiplication first (getting 12) and then add the 2 (getting 14).
By following these rules, the computer can understand and solve a range of expressions more easily, just like a kid can do more math problems when they learn the right order to do things in.
Think of it like a little kid trying to understand a math problem. If someone asks them "What is 3 plus 4 times 5?" they might be confused because they don't know what order to do the math in. But if we teach them the rule "do multiplication before addition" then they can figure it out: first, 4 times 5 is 20, and then 3 plus 20 is 23.
That's what a parsing expression grammar does for a computer. It gives the computer rules for how to read and understand expressions made up of numbers, words, and symbols. For example, it might say "always do multiplication and division before addition and subtraction." So if the computer sees the expression "2 + 3 * 4" it will know to do the multiplication first (getting 12) and then add the 2 (getting 14).
By following these rules, the computer can understand and solve a range of expressions more easily, just like a kid can do more math problems when they learn the right order to do things in.
Related topics others have asked about: