Computer Organization and Architecture Glossary
Index
Computer Architecture
Computer Organization
Machine Instructions & Addressing Modes
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
Data Path
Control Unit
Instruction Pipelining
Memory Hierarchy
Cache Memory
Main vs Secondary Memory
I/O Interface (Interrupt & DMA)
Computer Architecture
The functional design of a computer system — deals with what a computer does and how it appears to the programmer (e.g., instruction set, data types, addressing modes).
Computer Organization
The implementation details of a computer system — how architectural specs are realized in hardware (e.g., CPU, memory hierarchy, control signals).
Machine Instructions & Addressing Modes
Binary-coded commands executed by CPU. Components: opcode, operands, addressing mode. Types: data movement, arithmetic/logic, control flow, I/O.
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
The ALU performs arithmetic (add, subtract, multiply, divide) and logical (AND, OR, NOT, XOR) operations, producing results and status flags.
Data Path
The hardware in CPU that carries out operations: registers, ALU, buses, multiplexers. Moves and processes data.
Control Unit
Directs CPU operations by generating control signals for the data path, memory, and I/O. Types: hardwired and microprogrammed.
Instruction Pipelining
A technique to increase instruction throughput by overlapping stages: Fetch, Decode, Execute, Memory, Write-back.
Memory Hierarchy
Structured memory organization (registers, cache, RAM, secondary, tertiary) balancing speed, cost, and size.
Cache Memory
A small, fast memory close to CPU that stores frequently accessed data to reduce memory latency. Levels: L1, L2, L3.
Main vs Secondary Memory
Main memory (RAM) is volatile and fast for active tasks; secondary storage (HDD, SSD) is non-volatile, larger, and slower.
I/O Interface (Interrupt & DMA)
Mechanisms for CPU to communicate with peripherals. Modes: programmed I/O, interrupt-driven, and DMA (direct memory access).
