The main difference between stack pointer and program counter is that the stack pointer is a register that stores the address of the last program request on a stack whereas the program counter is a register that stores the address. of the next instruction to be executed from memory. What’s the diff btw stack pointer and program counter?
Registers are small storage units built into the CPU. They temporarily store data and help increase computer performance. The size of the registers can vary depending on the architecture of the computer. There are several types of registers, and they perform different operations. Two of these registers are the stack pointer and the program counter.
Key Areas Covered What’s the diff btw stack pointer and program counter?
1. What is a Stack Pointer
– Definition, Functionality
2. What is a Program Counter?
– Definition, Functionality
3. What is the difference between the stack pointer and the program counter?
– Comparison of key differen
What is a stack pointer
A stack is a data structure in computers. Pushing new items onto the stack is called a push, while removing items from the stack is called a pop. For example, suppose there are three items such as A, B, and C. The first items to be pushed onto the stack are A. Then B and C are added. B is on top of A, while C is on the bottom. top of A. Now the top element is C. When elements are removed, C appears first, then B, and finally A. The last inserted elements are removed first. Therefore, a stack works according to the last way in and out. This is the basic operation of a stack
A stack pointer, or stack register , is a small register that helps manage the stack. Stores the address of the last program request. Here, the recently entered request resides at the top of the stack. When pushing a program request onto the stack, the stack pointer is first incremented by one. So the request is pushed onto the stack. When removing a program request from the stack, the requests first come off the stack. So the stack pointer decrements by one. Likewise, the stack pointer keeps track of stack operations.
What is a program counter?
A computer program tells the CPU to perform a task. Therefore, it is made up of instructions. These instructions are in a sequence. The CPU fetches these instructions one after another. A program counter is a register that contains the address of the next instruction to be executed. Instruction Pointer, Instruction Address Register and Instruction Counter. are some of its alternative names.
Each time the CPU fetches an instruction, the program counter increments by one. After getting an instruction, it points to the next instruction in the sequence. When restarting the computer, the value of the program counter will be zero.
Difference Between Stack Pointer and Program Counter
Definition What’s the diff btw stack pointer and program counter?
A stack pointer is a CPU register whose purpose is to keep track of a stack of calls. In contrast, a program counter is a CPU register that indicates where a computer is in its program sequence. These definitions explain the basic difference between the stack pointer and the program counter.
synonyms
Stack stacker is also called stack register while program counter is also called an instruction pointer, instruction address register, and instruction counter.
functionality
Functionality is also a big difference between stack pointer and program counter. The stack pointer contains the address of the last program request on a stack, while the program counter contains the address of the next instruction to be executed.
Use
While the stack pointer tracks stack operations, the program counter helps track the current point of execution. Hence, this is another difference between stack pointer and program counter.
conclusion
Stack pointer and program counter are two important registers. In conclusion, the main difference between stack pointer and program counter is that stack pointer is a register that stores the address of the last program request on a stack while program counter is a register that stores the address of the next instruction to execute. of the memory.