Final answer:
In compiler design, the symbol table is used to manage information about variables and their attributes, including scope, type, and memory location. It ensures semantic correctness during compilation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The data structure used by a compiler for managing information about variables and their attributes is known as a symbol table. The symbol table is a crucial component of a compiler that stores information about the scope, type, and sometimes memory location of each variable and function identifier that appears in the source code. As the compiler processes the code, it uses this table to look up identifiers and check for semantic correctness, such as type mismatches or undeclared identifiers.
During the compilation process, when a new variable is declared, its information is added to the symbol table. Likewise, when a variable is referenced in the code, the compiler consults the symbol table to ensure the variable has been declared and is being used in an appropriate context. The symbol table plays an essential role in various phases of compilation, including lexical analysis, semantic analysis, and code generation.