Explore the process of building a programming language from scratch in this 56-minute conference talk by Ted Neward at Devoxx. Dive into key decisions like compiled vs. interpreted and static vs. dynamic typing. Learn about defining grammars, constructing parsers, building abstract syntax trees (ASTs), and generating code. Discover tools that simplify language development and gain insights into creating domain-specific languages for specific tasks. Cover topics including lexing, parsing, intermediate representations, optimizations, and execution environments. Examine practical examples using tools like Antlr and explore concepts such as state machines, business rules, user interfaces, and security in language design.