• Online, Instructor-Led
  • Classroom
Course Description

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to computing systems below that of a high-level programming language. The material covered can be broadly separated into the categories of assembly language programming and Computer Organization. Under the heading of assembly language programming students will be introduced to the i386 instruction set, low-level programming, the Linux memory model, as well as the internal workings of compilers, assemblers and linkers. Topics under computer organization include digital logic design (combinational circuits, sequential circuits, finite state machines) and basic computer architecture (system bus, memory hierarchy and input/output devices).

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Compile C code to x86 Assembly
- Write simple functions in x86 Assembly
- Link together programs written in both C and x86 Assembly
- Explain the differences between IA-32 and x86-64 architecture
- Call library functions from x86 Assembly
- Reverse-engineer simple functions
- Debug x86 Assembly code
- Optimize a short function for instruction space

Framework Connections

The materials within this course focus on the NICE Framework Task, Knowledge, and Skill statements identified within the indicated NICE Framework component(s):