Does C implement the first C compiler itself?

[lovecreatesbea...]

K&R says the following in the preface to the first edition,

"... the C compiler, and ... are written in C."

I'm wondering, does it say even the first / original C compiler was
written in C?

[CBFalconer]

Keith Thompson wrote:

>

.... snip ...

>
The original question, which you can find up at the top of this
article, was whether repeatedly self-compiling an optimizating
compiler will cause the compiler executable to get smaller at
each iteration. The answer is no; it will get smaller the first
time, but not thereafter. I think that's what I've been
consistently saying all along. You said I was incorrect, but I

>think we're in agreement.

It takes at least two compiles, one with the old to produce the
more efficient output with a less efficient compiler, and then
another to produce the more efficient compiler. This assumes the
ancilliary code (libraries, etc) are not changed. The path is not
necessarily easy. I speak from experience, having been forced to
implement changes in multiple phases many times.

--
Chuck F (cbfalconer at maineline dot net)
Available for consulting/temporary embedded and systems.
<http://cbfalconer.home .att.net>