Transpilers: A Systematic Mapping Review of Their Usage in Research and Industry

Abstract

Transpilers refer to a special type of compilation that takes source code and translates it into target source code. This type of technique has been used for different types of implementations in scientific studies. A review of the research areas related to the use of transpilers allows the understanding of the direction in this branch of knowledge. The objective was to carry out an exhaustive and extended mapping of the usage and implementation of transpilers in research studies in the last 10 years. A systematic mapping review was carried out for answering the 5 research questions proposed. The PSALSAR method is used as a guide to the steps needed for the review. In total, from 1181 articles collected, 683 primary studies were selected, reviewed, and analyzed. Proposals from the industry were also analyzed. A new method for automatic data tabulation has been proposed for the mapping objective, using a relational database and SQL language. It was identified that the most common uses of transpilers are related to performance optimizations, parallel programming, embedded systems, compilers, testing, AI, graphics, and software development. In conclusion, it was possible to determine the extent and identification of research sub-areas and their impact on the usage of the transpilers. Future research could be considered about the usage of transpilers in transactional software, migration strategies for legacy systems, AI, math, multiplatform games and apps, automatic source code generation, and networking.

Transpiler-Based Architecture Design Model for Back-End Layers in Software Development

“…Transpilers have been used for various types of applications; however, there were no identifiable applications of transpilers for the back-end layers of transactional software [17]. This finding highlights the need for new approaches to facilitate the development of such solutions.…”

“…Contemporary works in software engineering have led to the advent of transpilers. A transpiler is a tool designed to automatically transform source code made up of a source high-level programming language into another source code made up of a different target high-level programming language, which should be algorithmically equivalent [17].…”

“…Throughout the various sections of this paper, the term "translation" is used to refer to syntax transformations. However, it should be noted that this term is not formally considered a synonym by itself, as it can be ambiguous and confused with other noncomputer science fields such as linguistics and education [17].…”

“…In this article, we presented the results of a systematic literature review conducted to identify current works on transpiler implementations and usage for transaction-oriented applications, concluding that transpilers have not been previously used for designing multiplatform transaction-oriented applications, opening this field up for future research. • Transpilers: A Systematic Mapping Review of Their Usage in Research and Industry [17] This article presented the results of a systematic mapping review conducted to identify the use and implementation of transpilers in research studies over the last ten years. The review identified that the most common uses of transpilers are related to performance optimization, parallel programming, embedded systems, compilers, testing, AI, graphics, and software development.…”