Cache (computing)

Pointer (computer programming)

The GNU Debugger (GDB)

Recursion (computer science)

System Control Flow

C (programming language)

Executables

Virtual memory

C Programming

Floating Point

Buffer overflow

Memory & Data

x86 Programming

Array (data structure)

Memory & Caches

Integers

x86-64 Assembly

Binary

Bitwise Operators

Procedures & Recursion

Data structure alignment

Process (computing)

Computers and Society

The Stack & Procedures

Java (programming language)

Memory allocation

CSE 351 The HW/SW Interface University of Washington Autumn 2022 This course develops students' understanding of software functioning at different levels of abstraction. Focus areas include C, assembly, and low-level data representation. It also introduces concepts of operating systems and differences between Java and C. It serves as a starting point for those interested in hardware or high-level abstractions. This course should develop students' sense of what really happens when software runs – and that this question can be answered at several levels of abstraction, including the hardware architecture level, the assembly level, the C programming level, and the Java programming level. The core around which the course is built is C, assembly, and low-level data representation, but this is connected to higher levels (roughly how basic Java could be implemented), lower levels (the general structure of a processor), and the role of the operating system (but not how the operating system is implemented).

For (computer science) students wanting to specialize at higher levels of abstraction, this could, in the extreme, be the only course they take that considers the "C level" and below. However, most will take a subset of [Systems Programming (CSE333)](http://courses.cs.washington.edu/courses/cse333/), [Operating Systems (CSE451)](http://courses.cs.washington.edu/courses/cse451/), [Compilers (CSE401)](https://www.cs.washington.edu/education/courses/cse401/), etc.

For students interested in hardware, embedded systems, computer engineering, computer architecture, etc., this course is the introductory course after which other courses will delve both deeper (into specific topics) and lower (into hardware implementation, circuit design, etc.). Of particular interest are [Introduction to Digital Design (CSE369)](https://www.cs.washington.edu/education/courses/cse369/), [Design of Digital Circuits and Systems (CSE371)](https://www.cs.washington.edu/education/courses/cse371/), [Introduction to Embedded Systems (CSE474)](https://www.cs.washington.edu/education/courses/cse474/), and [Computer Architecture I (CSE469)](https://www.cs.washington.edu/education/courses/cse469/). At the end of this course, students should be able to:

- Describe the multi-step process by which a high-level program becomes a stream of instructions executed by a processor;
- Describe the basic organization of the memory hierarchy and the effect of its parameters on system performance;
- Trace the execution of assembly code (x86-64), map the assembly to high-level language constructs, and write simple pieces of assembly programs;
- Write C code using pointers to create and manipulate complex data structures;
- Write (or rewrite) code to be take advantage of the computer execution model to improve execution efficiency;
- Debug small-ish C and assembly programs using GDB;
- Explain the role of an operating system;
- Describe fundamental differences between Java and C.  Course Themes
## Course Themes

The course has four principal themes:

- Representation: How different data types (from simple integers to arrays of data structures) are represented in memory, how instructions are encoded, and how memory addresses (pointers) are generated and used to create complex structures.
- Translation: How high-level languages are translated into the basic instructions embodied in process hardware with a particular focus on C and Java.
- Control Flow: How computers organize the order of their computations, keep track of where they are in large programs, and provide the illusion of multiple processes executing in parallel.
- History and Society: The principles computers are built upon were influenced by the societal context of the historical periods in which they were designed and, in turn, computers influence society in ways far beyond pure computational power.

CSE 351 The HW/SW Interface

Computer Systems

Microcode

Pipelining

Superscalar

Very long instruction word (VLIW)

Branch Prediction

Memory protection

Graphics Processor (GPU)

Parallel Programming

Superpipelining

Vector Processors

Multithreading

Small Multiprocessors

Multiprocessor Interconnect

Large Multiprocessors

Directory Protocols

Set Architectures

Verilog

Exception handling

ELE/COS 475 Computer Architecture Princeton University Fall 2019 This course offers an in-depth understanding of modern computer processor and system architecture. It covers topics like instruction-set architecture, processor organization, cache, memory, multiprocessors, and more. Designed for senior-level undergraduates and first-year graduate students. An in-depth study of the fundamentals of modern computer processor and system architecture. Students will develop a strong theoretical and practical understanding of modern, cutting-edge computer architectures and implementations. Studied topics include: Instruction-set architecture and high-performance processor organization including pipelining, out-of-order execution, as well as data and instruction parallelism. Cache, memory, and storage architectures. Multiprocessors and multicore processors. Coherent caches. Interconnection and network infrastructures. If the course indicates that enrollment capacity has been reached, students are encouraged to come to the class and speak with the professor about enrollment. Approximately 20 pages of reading per week. Homework - 5 problem sets during the semester.  This course is targeted at senior-level undergraduates and first-year graduate students. Students should have a good working understanding of digital logic, basic processor design and organization, pipelining, and simple cache design. ELE 375/COS 375 and ELE 206/COS 306 or equivalent knowledge are necessary to succeed in ELE 475. Use of the Verilog hardware description language will be used in this course and prior knowledge of Verilog will be very helpful, but not required. **Required text:**

1.  Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach 5th or 6th edition
    -  John L. Hennessy and David A. Patterson
    -  Princeton University Library Owns

**Recommended Text:**

-  Modern Processor Design: Fundamentals of Superscalar Processors (1st Edition), 2004. First and second printing are the same.
    -  John P. Shen and Mikko H. Lipasti
    -  Approximately $68 on [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Processor-Design-Fundamentals-Superscalar/dp/1478607831/ "http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Processor-Design-Fundamentals-Superscalar/dp/1478607831/")
    -  ISBN: 978-1478607830
    -  Princeton University Library Owns

**Other Text:**

-  Verilog HDL: A Guide to Digital Design and Synthesis, (2nd Edition), 2003.
    -  Samir Palnitkar
    -  ISBN: 0-13-044911-3
    -  This book is a good Verilog reference as we will be using Verilog in the labs for this course. If you already know Verilog for synthesis than this may not be needed. The 1st and 2nd editions of this book work. Likewise there are many other Verilog references on the web and other books are available.
    -  The 1st edition can be purchased used from Amazon for less than $10, the 2nd edition is more expensive.
    -  Princeton University Library has free online access to this book: [Online Safari Version On Princeton Network](http://proquest.safaribooksonline.com/?uiCode=princeun&xmlId=0130449113 "http://proquest.safaribooksonline.com/?uiCode=princeun&xmlId=0130449113")

ELE/COS 475 Computer Architecture

Cache (computing)

2 courses cover this concept

CSE 351 The HW/SW Interface

ELE/COS 475 Computer Architecture