Ch 4 · The Fetch–Decode–Execute Cycle · Theory

Topic 4 of 10 in Computer Architecture — Inside the CPU — 2 lessons.

The Heartbeat of the CPU

Every instruction a computer runs goes through the same three stages, over and over, billions of times a second:

Simulating the Cycle

This tiny model runs three instructions using a PC, a fetch step, and an accumulator — the same skeleton as a real CPU.

All topics in Theory Computer-architecture

1. The Von Neumann Model
2. Inside the CPU
3. Registers
4. The Fetch–Decode–Execute Cycle
5. Buses
6. The Memory Hierarchy
7. What Makes a CPU Fast
8. Assembly Language & Addressing Modes
9. Virtual Machines & Parallel Processing (A Level)
10. Check Your Understanding