This glossary is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but it contains all the terms which we think might be confusing to you.
| assembler | A program that translates assembly language into machine language. |
| assembler directive | A command in assembly language that causes the assembler to exhibit different behavior. Does not result in the generation of a machine language instruction. |
| assembly language | A programming language that is very similar to machine language, but uses symbols instead of binary numbers. |
| CISC | Complex Instruction Set Computer. |
| condition flags | A register that is treated such that each bit has a different meaning, rather than all of them taken together as a number. These bits are set during a compare, and tested during a jump. |
| core | Another name for the system memory. A ``core image'' is a file that contains an image of the contents of memory. The assembler program produces a core image, along with some extra comments to help you understand it. |
| ifetch loop | The control loop used inside a processor. Consists of a fetch, decode, and execute phase. |
| immediate value | A value that is immediately available in a machine language instruction word, rather than having to be loaded from a register or from memory. |
| instruction set | The set of machine language instructions that a processor can understand. |
| label | A symbolic representation of a memory address. |
| machine language | The binary form of instructions that a processor can run directly. |
| mnemonic | A symbolic representation of an opcode. |
| opcode | Operation Code. The portion of an instruction word that specifies what kind of instruction it is. |
| program counter (PC) | The register used to keep track of where in the program the machine is currently executing. |
| register | A memory word located inside the processor. Used as temporary work space. |
| RISC | Reduced Instruction Set Computer. |
| trap | The method that a program uses to request that the operating system perform some function. |
| word | The unit of memory access. Usually defined by the size of the registers in the CPU. In the Smalltium, a word is 16 bits. |