ARMfamily

ARMfamily is an informal term used to describe the broad set of processor designs based on the ARM architecture developed by ARM Holdings (now ARM Ltd). It covers multiple generations of instruction set architectures (ISAs) and a family of CPU cores that power many mobile, embedded, and increasingly data center devices. The term emphasizes the shared design philosophy and ecosystem around ARM-based CPUs rather than a single product line.

Origins and scope

ARM originated in the 1980s from Acorn Computers and evolved into a licensing-based business model. Instead of selling complete CPUs, ARM provides architectural specifications and sometimes processor cores that licensees adapt and integrate into custom system-on-chips (SoCs). The ARMfamily spans 32-bit and 64-bit implementations and includes numerous cores and derivatives used across diverse markets. The most influential milestones include the ARMv7 32-bit family and the ARMv8-A 64-bit family, which introduced AArch64 alongside the traditional ARMv7-A and ARMv7-R encodings.

Architecture generations and core families

ARMv8-A introduced 64-bit execution (AArch64) while maintaining compatibility with 32-bit code (AArch32). Within the ARMfamily, three main core families are widely used: Cortex-A for application processors, Cortex-R for real-time embedded tasks, and Cortex-M for low-power microcontrollers. These cores are licensed to semiconductor companies who integrate them into SoCs for smartphones, tablets, embedded devices, automotive systems, and IoT devices.

Ecosystem and impact

The ARMfamily relies on a broad ecosystem of toolchains, software libraries, and development environments. ARM’s licensing model has fostered a large ecosystem of licensees and partners, contributing to widespread adoption of ARM-based chips in mobile devices, embedded systems, and increasingly in cloud and data-center environments.