This project explores how modern superscalar CPUs execute instructions in parallel while handling data and control hazards. We analyze a Python function and simulate how instructions are scheduled, issued, executed, and committed using advanced CPU features.
- Instruction-Level Parallelism (ILP)
- Data Hazards (RAW, WAR, WAW)
- Control Hazards (branch prediction)
- Superscalar Execution (multi-issue)
- Out-of-Order Execution
- Register Renaming
- Reorder Buffer (ROB) Simulation
def do_something(a, b):
x = a + b
y = a * b
z = x / y
if x > y:
x = x + 3
y = y + 2Credit: Codecademy
- Gantt-style pipeline diagrams showing instruction parallelism
- ROB (Reorder Buffer) state tables with issue, execution, and commit cycles
superscalar_gantt.png– Execution timeline diagramrob_simulation.py– Python script modeling the ROBrob_latex_table.tex– LaTeX-formatted ROB table for academic reports
- Models realistic instruction dispatching and commit via ROB
- Demonstrates how CPUs speculatively execute and recover from branch mispredictions
- Explains how hazards are detected and resolved in real-world pipelines
Use this analysis for:
- Learning how out-of-order CPUs schedule and resolve instruction hazards
- Teaching parallel architecture concepts
- Writing performance-aware low-level software
“Instruction-level parallelism is not just about speed — it’s about making every cycle count.”