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Part- 2: Understanding the RISC-V Core: The 5-Stage Pipeline Explained

By R Santhosh Singh
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A  RISC-V core  follows a classic  5-stage pipeline design . This approach processes instructions efficiently by breaking them down into smaller, manageable steps. Each stage handles a specific part of instruction execution, allowing multiple instructions to be processed simultaneously, boosting overall performance. Fig: Pipelined processor with hazard handling Let’s dive into these five stages: 1️⃣ Instruction Fetch (IF) Stage Objective : Fetch instructions from memory. Key Components : Program Counter (PC) Instruction Memory Tasks : Increment the PC. Fetch the instruction from memory using the current PC. 2️⃣ Instruction Decode (ID) Stage Objective : Decode the fetched instruction and read register values. Key Components : Register File (holds general-purpose registers) Control Unit (generates control signals) Tasks : Decode the opcode and control signals. Read source registers from the register file. 3️⃣ Execute (EX) Stage Objective : Perform ALU operations, com...
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Part- 1: Step-by-Step Guide to Building a RISC-V Processor from Scratch

By R Santhosh Singh
🌟 Introduction to RISC-V Architecture Building your own processor might sound challenging, but with the right guidance, it's not only possible—it’s fun! 😃 In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to build a simple RISC-V processor from scratch. RISC-V, an open-source instruction set architecture (ISA), is gaining popularity among engineers and hobbyists because of its flexibility and transparency. Unlike proprietary architectures, RISC-V allows complete freedom to explore, modify, and build without licensing restrictions. Whether you're new to computer architecture or an enthusiast, this guide will help you step by step. By the end, you’ll have a working RISC-V processor and a solid understanding of how processors function at a fundamental level. Ready? Let's get started! 🔧💡 🧠 What is RISC? - Reduced Instruction Set Computing RISC stands for Reduced Instruction Set Computing. The concept is simple: keep the instruction set small and efficient so the processor wo...
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