Processorer

A processor, or central processing unit, is the main component of a computer that executes instructions and controls data flow within a system. Modern processors combine computational cores, memory caches, and interfaces on a single chip or within a System on Chip (SoC), enabling general-purpose and specialized tasks.

Processors execute programs by following an instruction set architecture (ISA), which defines the operations and data formats available at the machine level. The microarchitecture of a processor implements the ISA using techniques such as pipelining, out-of-order execution, speculation, and caching to improve throughput and efficiency.

Over time, processors have evolved from simple single-core designs to multicores and heterogeneous architectures. Common types include general-purpose CPUs for desktops and servers; mobile systems on a chip (SoCs) that integrate CPU, GPU, and accelerators; and embedded microcontrollers for dedicated tasks. Specialized processors exist for signal processing, AI, and cryptography.

Key performance factors include clock speed, instructions per cycle (IPC), cache size, memory bandwidth, and power efficiency. Modern CPUs use multiple cores, large L3 caches, SIMD units, and hardware accelerators; they are produced with shrinking fabrication processes that increase density and reduce energy per operation.

Current trends emphasize heterogeneity, security, and AI acceleration. Developments include integration of graphics and AI accelerators on the same chip, improvements in parallelism and memory hierarchies, and ongoing work to mitigate vulnerabilities such as speculative execution flaws. The term processor remains a broad label for devices that execute instructions.