How to Design an ISA.
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| Title: | How to Design an ISA. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Chisnall, David1 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Communications of the ACM. May2024, Vol. 67 Issue 5, p60-66. 7p. |
| Subjects: | Computer organization, Instruction set architecture, Software compatibility, Lingua francas, Encoding, Design, Optimizing compilers |
| Abstract: | This article discusses the intricacies of designing instruction set architectures (ISAs), emphasizing their crucial role as a lingua franca between compilers and microarchitecture. It highlights the importance of optimizing ISAs for different source languages and microarchitectures, addressing trade-offs between encoding efficiency, instruction density, and microarchitectural complexity. The author argues against oversimplified beliefs that ISAs don't matter much compared to microarchitecture, stressing that a well-designed ISA can significantly impact performance and power consumption, particularly in complex cores. Additionally, the article explores how certain ISAs, like RISC-V, make design choices that impact emulation and compatibility with legacy software, underscoring the challenges and trade-offs inherent in ISA design. |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
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