# Modern Compiler Implementation by Andrew Appel

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/modern-compiler-implementation/

8 people recommended Modern Compiler Implementation by Andrew Appel in Hacker News comments and none criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 12 months, in 5 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** People recommend it as a compiler textbook that balances practical and theoretical material, with the Standard ML edition singled out as the best version, and it is useful for backend compiler algorithms.

Summary written by Claude from 8 comments. It was written before the November 2026 recount, and 7 of those comments still count.

## Why people recommend it

- Preferred ML edition (3 comments in the sample): "The ML version is my favourite and I can vouch for the books being quite interesting." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46046328)) "It really should be read in the SML/NJ as God Intended." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48800572)) "the best book is the ML version" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46046292))
- Liked by teachers and readers (2 comments in the sample): "I taught in the past and still like the trilogy of books" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46043873)) "I like the Appel compiler book." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50230445))

## Other compiler textbooks people recommend

- [Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools by Aho, Sethi and Ullman](https://hackerapproved.com/p/compilers-principles-techniques-and-tools/): 16 recommend, 5 mixed, 15 criticize
- [Writing a C Compiler by Nora Sandler](https://hackerapproved.com/p/writing-a-c-compiler/): 8 recommend, 0 mixed, 2 criticize
- [Engineering a Compiler by Cooper and Torczon](https://hackerapproved.com/p/engineering-a-compiler/): 6 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize
- [Compiler Construction by Niklaus Wirth](https://hackerapproved.com/p/compiler-construction/): 4 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Modern Compiler Implementation by Andrew Appel", https://hackerapproved.com/p/modern-compiler-implementation/ (8 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.