Computer Architecture is the bridge between software and hardware. It describes how high-level code is translated into electrical signals that a processor executes.
The Von Neumann Model
Modern computers are based on Von Neumann Architecture, which has three core components:
- Central Processing Unit(s) (CPU)
- Memory Unit (e.g. Random Access Memory (RAM))
- O) (e.g. keyboard/monitor)
The Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle:
- Fetch: Get the next instruction from RAM (via the Program Counter).
- Decode: Figure out what the instruction means (e.g.,
ADD,MOV). - Execute: Perform the operation.
Key Concepts
- Digital Logic: Gates (AND, OR), Circuits, and Truth Tables.
- Central Processing Unit(s) (CPU): Registers, Instruction Sets (ISA), and Pipelining.
- Memory Hierarchy: Why Cache misses kill performance. (Registers > L1 > L2 > RAM > Disk).
- Assembly Language: Human-readable machine code. (e.g. x86, ARM).