Learn how the Arm architecture works with our series of guides. From the fundamentals to more advance concepts, these guides provide an accessible introduction to the architecture that powers Arm-based technology. Check back regularly for new guides and resources.

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Architecture fundamentals

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Introducing the Arm Architecture

This guide provides a non-technical introduction to the Arm Architecture.

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Armv8-A Exception model

This guide introduces the exception and privilege model in Armv8-A. 

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Armv8-A Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)

This guide introduces the A64 instruction set used in AArch64.

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Armv8-A Memory management

This guide introduces the MMU, which is used to control virtual to physical address translation.


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Armv8-A Memory model

This guide introduces the memory model in Armv8-A. It describes memory attributes and the basics of memory ordering.

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Understanding the Armv8.x extensions

This guide explains extensions to the Arm architecture and provides guidance on how to read and use them.

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Advanced features

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Armv8-A Virtualization

This guide describes the virtualization support in the Armv8-A AArch64, including basic virtualization theory, stage 2 translation, virtual exceptions, and trapping.

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Generic Interrupt Controller

This guide provides an overview of the GIC, describing the operation of a GICv3 compliant interrupt controller, and providing information about configuration for use in a bare metal environment.

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Generic Timer

This guide introduces the Generic Timer, the timer framework for A-profile PEs.

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Software Development

Arm Green Monitor with blocks

Introducing Neon 

This guide introduces Arm Neon technology, the Advanced SIMD (Single Instruction Multiple Data) architecture extension for implementation of the Armv8–A or Armv8–R architecture profiles.

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Optimizing C code with Neon intrinsics

This guide shows you how to use Neon intrinsics in your C or C++ code to take advantage of the Advanced SIMD technology in the Armv8 architecture.

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Compiling for Neon with auto-vectorization

This guide shows you how to use your compiler to automatically generate code that contains Armv8 Advanced SIMD instructions, using several examples. 

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Boot: Bare Metal

We're working on a new guide. Until it's ready, you can read our Application Note Bare-metal Boot Code for ARMv8-A Processors.

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Building your first embedded image

This guide describes how create an embedded image, including compiling the program, specifying the memory map, use a model to run the image. 

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Before debugging

This guide describes concepts that are useful to know before debugging an Armv8-A processor, including different types of debug, target types and target states.

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Debugger usage

This guide focuses on characteristics that are common to bare-metal debuggers that target the Armv8-A architecture. It also covers what you need to know when you work with debuggers, and possible consequences of their use.

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