Instruction Set

A set of instructions in AssemblyLanguage

http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/i/instset.htm

• The instruction set, also called instruction set architecture (ISA), is a part of the computer that pertains to programming, which is basically machine language.
• The instruction set provides commands to the processor, to tell it what it needs to do.
• The instruction set consists of multiple pieces, including addressing modes, instructions, native data types, registers, memory architecture, interrupt, and exception handling, and external I/O.
• An example of an instruction set is the x86 instruction set, which is common to find on computers today.
• Different computer processors can use almost the same instruction set, while still having very different internal design.
  • Both the Intel Pentium and AMD Athlon processors use nearly the same x86 instruction set.
• An instruction set can be built into the hardware of the processor, or it can be emulated in software, using an interpreter.
  • The hardware design is more efficient and faster for running programs than the emulated software version.