Software runs on hardware, and understanding that hardware makes you a better programmer. This course traces computation from logic gates through ALUs, CPUs, memory hierarchies, caching, and pipelining.
Outcomes
- Read and write small assembly programs for a simple instruction set
- Trace a program through the fetch-decode-execute cycle step by step
- Explain how caching and memory hierarchy affect real program performance
- Describe how pipelining improves throughput and where hazards arise
Outline
Start →- 01 Digital Logic Boolean algebra, logic gates, combinational circuits, and the building blocks of computation.
- 02 CPU Design The ALU, registers, control unit, and how instructions are fetched, decoded, and executed.
- 03 Memory Hierarchy Registers, cache levels, RAM, and disk: latency, capacity, and the principle of locality.
- 04 Pipelining and Performance Instruction pipelining, hazards, and the techniques CPUs use to execute instructions faster.