Computer Architectures

The goal of this course is to provide the basic notions about the organization and architecture of computing machines, either general-purpose computers, or specialized architectures designed to handle specific tasks. Furthermore, the course provides basic knowledge about the assembly language (in particular using as a reference RISC-V and briefly discussing the Intel and ARM architectures), the HW/SW interface, and the low-level mechanisms of a computer. Finally, the course also provides the fundamental knowledge needed to attend advanced courses focused on the design of computer systems from the hardware perspective.

This course does not require any preliminary knowledge. The structure of the course is especially suited for students with a CV oriented towards software and systems, who during their Bachelor Degree have the chance to learn about computer architectures only through this course. On the other hand, the course will also provide the fundamental knowledge needed to attend advanced courses focused on the design of computer systems from the hardware perspective.

Material

All the course material is available (for UNITN students) on Moodle (course "Calcolatori [145409]").