How did they compile the first compiler? 😰

I don't think they had to compile it

Well..history 101, assembly.

Plenty about this on Wikipedia & computerhope :p

Used to input machine code directly into memory, then came assembly which directly mapped to machine code so could be translated by hand, or by an assembler which itself would've been written in assembly. After that higher languages were invented and the first compiler would've been written in assembly, then assembled into machine code.

Bootstrapping compilers is an interesting process. But the first compilers did little more than "compiling" (in the English sense of the word) - they put pieces of pre-prepared code one after the other. It is not more difficult than any other code they had to write in machine language (not assembly - assembly requires compiler!) back then.

Through jihad

You could also ask how adobe designed photoshop before having a program such as photoshop.

By hardcore geniuses using arcade, ancient tools long forgotten by the mere mortals. In a language only sung by the tearing of transistors and screaming of ram in the dark hidden core of the motherboard.

@valvy Best comment here yet 😂