Difference between revisions of "Program Counter"
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| − | A '''program counter''' ('''PC''', or sometimes '''instruction counter''') is a [[register]] in the [[CPU]] of a computer which indicates where, in the execution of the program in [[main memory]], the CPU is. | + | A '''program counter''' ('''PC''', or sometimes '''instruction counter''') is a [[register]] in the [[Central Processing Unit|CPU]] of a computer which indicates where, in the execution of the [[program]] in [[main memory]], the CPU is. |
| − | The PC is usually updated automatically during the execution of each [[instruction]] to point to the next instruction. If the instruction is a jump, that updating is usually replaced by loading the target of the jump into the PC. | + | The PC is usually updated automatically during the [[execute|execution]] of each [[instruction]] to point to the next instruction. If the instruction is a [[jump]], that updating is usually replaced by loading the target of the jump into the PC. |
| − | {{stub}} | + | {{semi-stub}} |
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| + | [[Category: CPU Basics]] | ||
Latest revision as of 15:43, 12 May 2023
A program counter (PC, or sometimes instruction counter) is a register in the CPU of a computer which indicates where, in the execution of the program in main memory, the CPU is.
The PC is usually updated automatically during the execution of each instruction to point to the next instruction. If the instruction is a jump, that updating is usually replaced by loading the target of the jump into the PC.
