ASSEMBLY CODE Meaning and
Definition
-
Assembly code, also referred to as assembly language, is a low-level programming language that consists of human-readable instructions used to communicate directly with the computer's hardware. It acts as an intermediary between machine language and higher-level programming languages. Assembly code represents a symbolic representation of machine instructions, providing a more understandable format for programmers.
In assembly code, instructions are written using mnemonics that correspond to the appropriate machine operations. Each instruction is associated with a specific binary pattern that the computer's processor can directly execute. Assembly code allows programmers to interact with the computer's memory and registers, manipulating data and specifying precise operations.
Since assembly code is closely related to machine language, it offers programmers low-level control over the computer's hardware, making it an efficient choice for tasks that require optimization and direct control of hardware resources. However, assembly code is also more complex and less portable than higher-level languages, as it requires a deep understanding of computer architecture and hardware specifics.
Programs written in assembly code are commonly known as assembly programs. These programs are first translated into machine language through an assembler, a software tool that converts the symbolic assembly code instructions into the corresponding binary machine instructions. The resulting binary program can then be executed directly by the computer's hardware.
Etymology of ASSEMBLY CODE
The word "assembly" in "assembly code" comes from the notion that this type of programming language is a "low-level" language that closely resembles the architecture of the computer's central processing unit (CPU). It is called "assembly" because it refers to the use of mnemonic codes or "mnemonics" that represent specific computer instructions in a form that is more human-readable compared to machine code.
The term "assembly" can be traced back to the early days of computing when programmers used to "assemble" machine instructions manually by typing them in hexadecimal format. Instead of working directly with machine code, assembly code allows programmers to work with a more symbolic representation that is easier to understand and write.
Therefore, "assembly code" refers to a programming language that is one step above machine code but still closely tied to the underlying hardware architecture of a computer system.
