TCC, the Tiny C Compiler, is a quite interesting and small C compiler and optimizer for Linux. Besides doing everything a normal C compiler does, it can also generate safe code with memory and bounds checking that can be freely mixed with normal code.

Its creators claim its faster than GCC. I have not tested it yet, but I believe the claim is true as GCC is intended to be a very generic and cross-platform compiler. What makes TCC useful is the fact that it can directly compile and execute C code, allowing it to be used as a scripting environment from the command line.

In my opinion, however, its biggest advantage is that it generates real code, which makes possible to use it as a backend for code generation in another program or language.

For those interested in compilers — as I am — TCC is certainly worth a look. Of course, it’s licensed under the LGPL.