Register - Revision history

Jnc: Register renaming

2021-05-14T11:10:35Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:10, 14 May 2021
Line 3:		Line 3:
	The first computers did not include many registers in the CPU, since each register needs separate [[hardware]], and that was a scarce resource early on. Many machines only had a single register available for doing computations with, the '''accumulator'''; these machines were typically a [[load-store architecture]].		The first computers did not include many registers in the CPU, since each register needs separate [[hardware]], and that was a scarce resource early on. Many machines only had a single register available for doing computations with, the '''accumulator'''; these machines were typically a [[load-store architecture]].

	Later on, hardware was not so much of an issue, but computers still tend to have somewhat limited numbers of registers, because they are named by fields in [[instruction]]s, and [[bit]]s in the instruction [[word]] are (and always will be) a limited resource.		Later on, hardware was not so much of an issue, but computers still tend to have somewhat limited numbers of programmer-visible registers, because they are named by fields in [[instruction]]s, and [[bit]]s in the instruction [[word]] are (and always will be) a limited resource. ([[Register renaming]] was developed to allow more registers to be used, without being able to explicitly name them.)

	==See also==		==See also==

Jnc: +cat

2018-12-13T02:39:26Z

+cat

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:39, 13 December 2018
Line 11:		Line 11:

	{{semi-stub}}		{{semi-stub}}

			[[Category:Hardware Basics]]

Jnc: Proper cat, clarify a bit

2018-10-20T20:37:48Z

Proper cat, clarify a bit

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:37, 20 October 2018
Line 1:		Line 1:
	A '''register''' is a special ~~storage location~~; usually within a [[Central Processing Unit\|CPU]], i.e. not part of the machine's [[main memory]], although [[device controller]]s usually include registers too. ~~Since they~~ are part of the CPU, access to them is very fast - usually faster than main memory.		A '''register''' is a special small [[memory]] unit; usually within a [[Central Processing Unit\|CPU]], i.e. not part of the machine's [[main memory]], although [[device controller]]s usually include registers too. For the ones which are part of the CPU, access to them is very fast - usually faster than main memory.

	The first computers did not include many registers in the CPU, since each register needs separate [[hardware]], and that was a ~~scare~~ resource early on. Many machines only had a single register available for doing computations with, the '''accumulator'''; these machines were typically a [[load-store architecture]].		The first computers did not include many registers in the CPU, since each register needs separate [[hardware]], and that was a scarce resource early on. Many machines only had a single register available for doing computations with, the '''accumulator'''; these machines were typically a [[load-store architecture]].

	Later on, hardware was not so much of an issue, but computers still tend to have somewhat limited numbers of registers, because they are named by fields in [[instruction]]s, and ~~bits~~ in the instruction [[word]] are (and always will be) a limited resource.		Later on, hardware was not so much of an issue, but computers still tend to have somewhat limited numbers of registers, because they are named by fields in [[instruction]]s, and [[bit]]s in the instruction [[word]] are (and always will be) a limited resource.

	==See also==		==See also==
Line 10:		Line 10:
	* [[Program Counter]]		* [[Program Counter]]

	{{stub}}		{{semi-stub}}

Jnc: rm plural from link

2018-04-27T13:13:17Z

rm plural from link

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:13, 27 April 2018
Line 1:		Line 1:
	A '''register''' is a special storage location; usually within a [[Central Processing Unit\|CPU]], i.e. not part of the machine's [[main memory]], although [[device ~~controllers~~]] usually include registers too. Since they are part of the CPU, access to them is very fast - usually faster than main memory.		A '''register''' is a special storage location; usually within a [[Central Processing Unit\|CPU]], i.e. not part of the machine's [[main memory]], although [[device controller]]s usually include registers too. Since they are part of the CPU, access to them is very fast - usually faster than main memory.

	The first computers did not include many registers in the CPU, since each register needs separate [[hardware]], and that was a scare resource early on. Many machines only had a single register available for doing computations with, the '''accumulator'''; these machines were typically a [[load-store architecture]].		The first computers did not include many registers in the CPU, since each register needs separate [[hardware]], and that was a scare resource early on. Many machines only had a single register available for doing computations with, the '''accumulator'''; these machines were typically a [[load-store architecture]].

Jnc: Add links

2018-04-27T13:10:44Z

Add links

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:10, 27 April 2018
Line 1:		Line 1:
	A '''register''' is a special storage location; usually within a [[Central Processing Unit\|CPU]], i.e. not part of the machine's [[main memory]], although [[device controllers]] usually include registers too. Since they are part of the CPU, access to them is very fast - usually faster than main memory.		A '''register''' is a special storage location; usually within a [[Central Processing Unit\|CPU]], i.e. not part of the machine's [[main memory]], although [[device controllers]] usually include registers too. Since they are part of the CPU, access to them is very fast - usually faster than main memory.

	The first computers did not include many registers in the CPU, since each register needs separate hardware, and that was a scare resource early on. Many machines only had a single register available for doing computations with, the '''accumulator'''; these machines were typically a [[load-store architecture]].		The first computers did not include many registers in the CPU, since each register needs separate [[hardware]], and that was a scare resource early on. Many machines only had a single register available for doing computations with, the '''accumulator'''; these machines were typically a [[load-store architecture]].

	Later on, hardware was not so much of an issue, but computers still tend to have somewhat limited numbers of registers, because they are named by fields in [[instruction]]s, and bits in the instruction word are (and always will be) a limited resource.		Later on, hardware was not so much of an issue, but computers still tend to have somewhat limited numbers of registers, because they are named by fields in [[instruction]]s, and bits in the instruction [[word]] are (and always will be) a limited resource.

	==See also==		==See also==

Jnc: typo

2017-09-21T19:34:14Z

typo

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:34, 21 September 2017
Line 1:		Line 1:
	A '''register''' is a special storage location; usually within a [[Central ~~Crocessing~~ Unit\|CPU]], i.e. not part of the machine's [[main memory]], although [[device controllers]] usually include registers too. Since they are part of the CPU, access to them is very fast - usually faster than main memory.		A '''register''' is a special storage location; usually within a [[Central Processing Unit\|CPU]], i.e. not part of the machine's [[main memory]], although [[device controllers]] usually include registers too. Since they are part of the CPU, access to them is very fast - usually faster than main memory.

	The first computers did not include many registers in the CPU, since each register needs separate hardware, and that was a scare resource early on. Many machines only had a single register available for doing computations with, the '''accumulator'''; these machines were typically a [[load-store architecture]].		The first computers did not include many registers in the CPU, since each register needs separate hardware, and that was a scare resource early on. Many machines only had a single register available for doing computations with, the '''accumulator'''; these machines were typically a [[load-store architecture]].

Jnc: avoid redir

2017-09-21T19:32:05Z

avoid redir

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:32, 21 September 2017
Line 1:		Line 1:
	A '''register''' is a special storage location; usually within a [[CPU]], i.e. not part of the machine's [[main memory]], although [[device controllers]] usually include registers too. Since they are part of the CPU, access to them is very fast - usually faster than main memory.		A '''register''' is a special storage location; usually within a [[Central Crocessing Unit\|CPU]], i.e. not part of the machine's [[main memory]], although [[device controllers]] usually include registers too. Since they are part of the CPU, access to them is very fast - usually faster than main memory.

	The first computers did not include many registers in the CPU, since each register needs separate hardware, and that was a scare resource early on. Many machines only had a single register available for doing computations with, the '''accumulator'''; these machines were typically a [[load-store architecture]].		The first computers did not include many registers in the CPU, since each register needs separate hardware, and that was a scare resource early on. Many machines only had a single register available for doing computations with, the '''accumulator'''; these machines were typically a [[load-store architecture]].

Jnc: add mention of accumulator

2017-09-21T16:28:31Z

add mention of accumulator

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:28, 21 September 2017
Line 1:		Line 1:
	A '''register''' is a special storage location; usually within a [[CPU]], i.e. not part of the machine's [[main memory]], although [[device controllers]] usually include registers too. Since they are part of the CPU, access to them is very fast - usually faster than main memory.		A '''register''' is a special storage location; usually within a [[CPU]], i.e. not part of the machine's [[main memory]], although [[device controllers]] usually include registers too. Since they are part of the CPU, access to them is very fast - usually faster than main memory.

	The first computers did not include many registers in the CPU, since each register needs separate hardware, and that was a scare resource early on. Later on, hardware was not so much of an issue, but computers still tend to have somewhat limited numbers of registers, because they are named by fields in [[instruction]]s, and bits in the instruction word are (and always will be) a limited resource.		The first computers did not include many registers in the CPU, since each register needs separate hardware, and that was a scare resource early on. Many machines only had a single register available for doing computations with, the '''accumulator'''; these machines were typically a [[load-store architecture]].

			Later on, hardware was not so much of an issue, but computers still tend to have somewhat limited numbers of registers, because they are named by fields in [[instruction]]s, and bits in the instruction word are (and always will be) a limited resource.

	==See also==		==See also==

Jnc: Stubby, but a start

2017-09-16T21:13:54Z

Stubby, but a start

New page

A '''register''' is a special storage location; usually within a [[CPU]], i.e. not part of the machine's [[main memory]], although [[device controllers]] usually include registers too. Since they are part of the CPU, access to them is very fast - usually faster than main memory.

The first computers did not include many registers in the CPU, since each register needs separate hardware, and that was a scare resource early on. Later on, hardware was not so much of an issue, but computers still tend to have somewhat limited numbers of registers, because they are named by fields in [[instruction]]s, and bits in the instruction word are (and always will be) a limited resource.

==See also==

* [[Stack Pointer]]
* [[Program Counter]]

{{stub}}