Comparison of parser generators

This is a list of notable lexer generators and parser generators for various language classes.

Regular languages

Regular languages are a category of languages which can be matched by a state machine constructed from a regular expression. In particular, a regular language can match constructs like "A follows B", "Either A or B", "A, followed by zero or more instances of B", but cannot match constructs which require consistency between non-adjacent elements, such as "some instances of A followed by the same number of instances of B", and also cannot express the concept of recursive "nesting". A classic example of a problem which a regular grammar cannot handle is the question of whether a given string contains correctly nested parentheses.

Name	Lexer algorithm	Output languages	Grammar, code	Development platform	License
Alex	DFA	Haskell			, BSD
AnnoFlex	DFA	Java			, BSD
Astir	DFA table driven, with branching	C++			, MIT
AustenX	DFA	Java			, BSD
C# Flex	DFA	C#			, GNU GPL
C# Lex	DFA	C#			?
CookCC	DFA	Java			, Apache 2.0
DFA	DFA compressed matrix	C, C++		Windows, Visual Studio	BSD
Dolphin	DFA	C++
Flex	DFA table driven	C, C++			, BSD
gelex	DFA	Eiffel			, MIT
golex	DFA	Go			, BSD-style
gplex	DFA	C#			, BSD-like
JFlex	DFA	Java			, BSD
JLex	DFA	Java			, BSD-like
lex	DFA	C			, proprietary, CDDL
lexertl	DFA	C++	?		, GNU LGPL
Quex	DFA direct code	C, C++			, GNU LGPL
Ragel	DFA	Go, C, C++, Java, assembly			, GNU GPL, MIT
RE/flex	DFA direct code, DFA table driven, and NFA regex libraries	C++			, BSD
re2c	DFA direct code	C, C++, Go, Rust			, public domain

Deterministic context-free languages

Context-free languages are a category of languages which can be matched by a sequence of replacement rules, each of which essentially maps each non-terminal element to a sequence of terminal elements and/or other nonterminal elements. Grammars of this type can match anything that can be matched by a regular grammar, and furthermore, can handle the concept of recursive "nesting", such as the question of whether a given string contains correctly nested parentheses. The rules of Context-free grammars are purely local, however, and therefore cannot handle questions that require non-local analysis such as "Does a declaration exist for every variable that is used in a function?". To do so technically would require a more sophisticated grammar, like a Chomsky Type 1 grammar, also termed a context-sensitive grammar. However, parser generators for context-free grammars often support the ability for user-written code to introduce limited amounts of context-sensitivity.
The deterministic context-free languages are a proper subset of the context-free languages which can be efficiently parsed by deterministic pushdown automata.

Name	Parsing algorithm	Input grammar notation	Output languages	Grammar, code	Lexer	Development platform	IDE	License
ANTLR4	Adaptive LL	EBNF	C#, Java, Python, JavaScript, C++, Swift, Go, PHP		generated			, BSD
ANTLR3	LL	EBNF	ActionScript, Ada95, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, Objective-C, Perl, Python, Ruby		generated			, BSD
APG	Recursive descent, backtracking	ABNF	Python, JavaScript, C, Java		none			, BSD
Beaver	LALR	EBNF	Java		external			, BSD
Bison	LALR, LR, IELR, GLR	Yacc	C, C++, D, Java		external			, GNU GPL with exception
BtYacc	Backtracking Bottom-up	?	C++		external			, public domain
byacc	LALR	Yacc	C		external			, public domain
CL-Yacc	LALR	Lisp	Common Lisp		external			, MIT
Coco/R	LL + semantic predicates	EBNF	C, C++, C#, F#, Java, Ada, Object Pascal, Delphi, Modula-2, Oberon, Ruby, Swift, Unicon, Visual Basic.NET		generated			, GNU GPL
CppCC	LL	?	C++		generated			, GNU GPL
CUP	LALR	?	Java		external			, BSD-like
Eli	LALR	?	C		generated			, GNU GPL, GNU LGPL
Essence	LR	?	Scheme 48		external			, BSD
eyapp	LALR	?	Perl		external or generated			, Artistic
GOLD	LALR	BNF	x86 assembly language, ANSI C, C#, D, Java, Pascal, Object Pascal, Python, Visual Basic 6, Visual Basic.NET, Visual C++		generated			, zlib modified
Hime Parser Generator	LALR, GLR	BNF dialect	C#, Java, Rust		generated			, GNU LGPL
Hyacc	LR(1), LALR(1), LR	Yacc	C		external			, GNU GPL
JavaCC	LL	EBNF	Java, C++, JavaScript		generated			, BSD
JFLAP	LL, LALR	?	Java	?	?			?
JetPAG	LL	?	C++		generated			, GNU GPL
JS/CC	LALR	EBNF	JavaScript, JScript, ECMAScript		internal			, BSD
KDevelop-PG-Qt	LL, backtracking, shunting-yard	?	C++		generated or external			, GNU LGPL
Kelbt	Backtracking LALR	?	C++		generated			, GNU GPL
kmyacc	LALR	?	C, Java, Perl, JavaScript		external			, GNU GPL
Lapg	LALR	?	C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript		generated			, GNU GPL
Lark	LALR, Earley (SPPF)	EBNF	Python, JavaScript		generated			, MIT
Lemon	LALR	BNF dialect	C		external			, public domain
Lezer	LR, GLR	EBNF dialect	JavaScript		generated	Node.js, JavaScript		, MIT
Lime	LALR	?	PHP		external			, GNU GPL
LISA	LR, LL, LALR, SLR	?	Java		generated			, public domain
LLgen	LL	?	C		external			, BSD
LLnextgen	LL	?	C		external			, GNU GPL
LLLPG	LL + syntactic and semantic predicates	ANTLR-like	C#		generated			, GNU LGPL
LPG	Backtracking LALR	?	Java		generated			, EPL
LRSTAR	LALR, LALR	YACC, ANTLR, EBNF	C++		generated			, BSD
Menhir	LR	?	OCaml		generated			, QPL
ML-Yacc	LALR	?	ML		external			?
Monkey	LR	?	Java		generated			, GNU GPL
Msta	LALR, LR	YACC, EBNF	C, C++		external or generated			, GNU GPL
MTP	LL	?	Java		generated			, GNU GPL
MyParser	LL	Markdown	C++11		internal			, MIT
NLT	GLR	C#/BNF-like	C#		mixed			, MIT
ocamlyacc	LALR	?	OCaml		external			, QPL
olex	LL	?	C++		generated			, GNU GPL
Parsec	LL, backtracking	Haskell	Haskell		none			, BSD
yapp	LALR	?	Perl		external			, GNU GPL
Parser Objects	LL	?	Java		?			, zlib
PCCTS	LL	?	C, C++	?	?			?
PLY	LALR	BNF	Python		generated			, MIT
PlyPlus	LALR	EBNF	Python		generated			, MIT
PRECC	LL	?	C		generated			, GNU GPL
QLALR	LALR	?	C++		external			, GNU GPL
racc	LALR	BNF-like, yacc-like	Ruby		?
REX	LL sLL LR LALR GLR PEG DFA Context-dependent lexing	EBNF	C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, Go, Haxe, Python, Scala, TypeScript, XQuery, XSLT		generated			, Apache License 2.0
SableCC	LALR	?	C, C++, C#, Java, OCaml, Python		generated			, GNU LGPL
SLK	LL LR LALR	EBNF	C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript		external			SLK
SLY	LALR	BNF	Python		generated			, BSD
SP	Recursive descent	Python	Python		generated			, GNU LGPL
Spirit	Recursive descent	?	C++		internal			, Boost
Styx	LALR	?	C, C++		generated			, GNU LGPL
Sweet Parser	LALR	?	C++		generated			, zlib
Tap	LL	?	C++		generated			, GNU GPL
TextTransformer	LL	?	C++		generated
TinyPG	LL	?	C#, Visual Basic	?	?			, CPOL 1.0
Toy Parser Generator	Recursive descent	?	Python		generated			, GNU LGPL
TP Yacc	LALR	?	Turbo Pascal		external			, GNU GPL
Tree-Sitter	LR, GLR	JavaScript DSL, JSON	C, bindings		generated + external			, MIT
Tunnel Grammar Studio	Tunnel Parsing	ABNF	C++		generated
UltraGram	LALR, LR, GLR	BNF	C++, Java, C#, Visual Basic.NET		external			, public domain
UniCC	LALR	EBNF	C, C++, Python, JavaScript, JSON, XML		generated			, BSD
UrchinCC	LL	?	Java	?	generated			?
Yacc AT&T/Sun	LALR	Yacc	C		external			, CPL & CDDL
Yacc++	LR, LALR	Yacc	C++, C#		generated or external
Yapps	LL	?	Python		generated			, MIT
yecc	LALR	?	Erlang		generated			, Apache 2.0
Visual BNF	LR, LALR	?	C#		generated
YooParse	LR, LALR	?	C++		external			, MIT
Parse	LR	BNF in C++ types	?	?	none			, MIT
GGLL	LL	Graph	Java		generated			, MIT
Product	Parsing algorithm	Input grammar notation	Output languages	Grammar, code	Lexer	Development platform	IDE	License

Parsing expression grammars, deterministic Boolean grammars

This table compares parser generators with parsing expression grammars, deterministic Boolean grammars.

Name	Parsing algorithm	Output languages	Grammar, code	Development platform	License
AustenX	Packrat	Java			, BSD
Aurochs	Packrat	C, OCaml, Java			, GNU GPL
BNFlite	Recursive descent	C++			, MIT
Canopy	Packrat	Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby			, GNU GPL
CL-peg	Packrat	Common Lisp			, MIT
Drat!	Packrat	D			, GNU GPL
Frisby	Packrat	Haskell			, BSD
grammar::peg	Packrat	Tcl			, BSD
Grako	Packrat + Cut + Left Recursion	Python, C++			, BSD
IronMeta	Packrat	C#			, BSD
Laja	2-phase scannerless top-down backtracking + runtime support	Java			, GNU GPL
lars::Parser	Packrat	C++	Identical		, BSD
LPeg	Parsing machine	Lua			, MIT
lug	Parsing machine	C++17			, MIT
Mouse	Recursive descent	Java			, Apache 2.0
Narwhal	Packrat	C			, BSD
Nearley	Earley	JavaScript			, MIT
Nemerle.Peg	Recursive descent + Pratt	Nemerle			, BSD
neotoma	Packrat	Erlang			, MIT
nez	Parsing machine	Java, C			, BSD
NPEG	Recursive descent	C#			, MIT
OMeta	Packrat	JavaScript, Squeak, Python			, MIT
PackCC	Packrat	C			, MIT
Packrat	Packrat	Scheme			, MIT
Pappy	Packrat	Haskell			, BSD
parboiled	Recursive descent	Java, Scala			, Apache 2.0
Lambda PEG	Recursive descent	Java			, Apache 2.0
parsepp	Recursive descent	C++			, public domain
Parsnip	Packrat	C++			, GNU GPL
Patterns	Parsing machine	Swift	Identical		, MIT
peg	Recursive descent	C			, MIT
PEG.js	Packrat	JavaScript			, MIT
Peggy	Packrat	JavaScript			, MIT
Pegasus	Recursive descent, Packrat	C#			, MIT
pegc	Recursive descent	C			, public domain
pest	Recursive descent	Rust			, MIT, Apache 2.0
PetitParser	Packrat	Smalltalk, Java, Dart			, MIT
PEGTL	Recursive descent	C++11, C++17			, Boost
Parser Grammar Engine	Hybrid recursive descent / operator precedence	Parrot bytecode			, Artistic 2.0
PyPy rlib	Packrat	Python			, MIT
Rats!	Packrat	Java			, GNU LGPL
Spirit2	Recursive descent	C++			, Boost
Treetop	Recursive descent	Ruby			, MIT
Yard	Recursive descent	C++			, MIT or public domain
Waxeye	Parsing machine	C, Java, JavaScript, Python, Racket, Ruby			, MIT
PHP PEG	PEG Parser?	PHP			, BSD

General context-free, conjunctive, or Boolean languages

This table compares parser generator languages with a general context-free grammar, a conjunctive grammar, or a Boolean grammar.

Name	Parsing algorithm	Input grammar notation	Output languages	Grammar, code	Lexer	Development platform	IDE	License
ACCENT	Earley	Yacc variant	C		external			, GNU GPL
APaGeD	GLR, LALR, LL	?	D		generated			, Artistic
Bison	LALR, LR, IELR, GLR	Yacc	C, C++, D, Java, XML	, except XML	external			, GNU GPL
DMS Software Reengineering Toolkit	GLR	?	Parlanse		generated
DParser	Scannerless GLR	?	C		scannerless			, BSD
Dypgen	Runtime-extensible GLR	?	OCaml		generated			, CeCILL-B
E3	Earley	?	OCaml		external, or scannerless			?
Elkhound	GLR	?	C++, OCaml		external			, BSD
GDK	LALR, GLR	?	C, Lex, Haskell, HTML, Java, Object Pascal, Yacc		generated			, MIT
Happy	LALR, GLR	?	Haskell		external			, BSD
Hime Parser Generator	GLR	?	C#, Java, Rust		generated			, GNU LGPL
IronText Library	LALR, GLR	C#	C#		generated or external			, Apache 2.0
Jison	LALR, LR, SLR	Yacc	JavaScript, C#, PHP		generated			, MIT
Syntax	LALR, LR, SLR CLR LL	JSON/Yacc	JavaScript, Python, PHP, Ruby, C++, C#, Rust, Java		generated			, MIT
Laja	Scannerless, two phase	Laja	Java		scannerless			, GNU GPL
ModelCC	Earley	Annotated class model	Java	Generated	generated			, BSD
P3	Earley–combinators	BNF-like	OCaml		external, or scannerless			?
P4	Earley–combinators, infinitary CFGs	BNF-like	OCaml		external, or scannerless			?
Scannerless Boolean Parser	Scannerless GLR	?	Haskell, Java		scannerless			, BSD
SDF/SGLR	Scannerless GLR	SDF	C, Java		scannerless			, BSD
SmaCC	GLR, LALR, LR	?	Smalltalk		internal			, MIT
SPARK	Earley	?	Python		external			, MIT
Tom	GLR	?	C	Generated	none			, "No licensing or copyright restrictions"
UltraGram	LALR, LR, GLR	?	C++, C#, Java, Visual Basic.NET		generated
Wormhole	Pruning, LR, GLR, Scannerless GLR	?	C, Python		scannerless			, MIT
Whale Calf	General tabular, SLL, Linear normal form, LR, Binary normal form	?	C++		external
yaep	Earley	Yacc-like	C		external			, GNU LGPL

Context-sensitive grammars

This table compares parser generators with context-sensitive grammars.

Name	Parsing algorithm	Input grammar notation	Boolean grammar abilities	Development platform	License
	Recursive descent	simple BNF grammar, output is xml	?	Beta, and not a full EBNF parser	, GNU GPL