Hello! This post is the first of a series of short posts going through what I learn as I research how compilers work. This is to help me write my Volq programming language, although last year I could’ve taken a module at university about compilers but I chose other modules instead, so now I’m researching it on my own.

What is lexical analysis?

Lexical analysis is the procedure of analysing a statement of a certain language, whether that be code or a spoken language like English or Spanish, to break it down into small fragments called lexemes. These lexemes consist of not only the words in the statement, but also any symbols or grammar, such as commas and full stops.

Today, I want to introduce a project I’ve been working on for a while.

Volq is an interpreted Domain Specific Language (DSL) that enables you to simulate quantum computing algorithms on your classical computer. You can play around with existing algorithms to better understand how they solve problems, or write your own from scratch using the easy-to-learn DSL based on the quantum circuit model.

I work in the Cyber Security team at National Highways in the UK, I’m enjoying it and everything is going great. However, working for a business that’s responsible for critical national infrastructure brings some unexpected benefits, including interesting site visits and experiences!

This post is about an experience I had recently, which is going on a ride-out with a National Highways Traffic Officer. It’s seriously one of the coolest experiences I’ve had in a long time, so I needed to write about it!

Welcome to my blog! I thought I’d start one so that I could post about whichever random topics I’m interested in, as well as different things I’m working on. The writing will be a mix of normal and formal - but leaning more towards the normal side. I might post semi-frequently, or I might not depending on how much time I have!

My name is Michael, or I sometimes go by michaelchips online. At the time of writing this, it’s been two months since I started my cyber security Year in Industry at National Highways in June 2025. I’ve also completed 3 years of my undergraduate Integrated Masters MSci in Computer Science at Royal Holloway, University of London. When my time at National Highways comes to a close in June 2026, I’ll be returning to university to complete the final year of my degree.