CodeAPeel: An Integrated and Layered Learning Technology For Computer Architecture Courses

In this paper, we introduce a versatile, multi-layered technology to help support teaching and learning computer architecture concepts. This technology, called CodeAPeel is already implemented in one particular form to describe instruction processing in assembly and machine layers by a comprehensive simulation of fetch-decode-execute process as well as animation of the behavior of CPU registers, RAM, VRAM, STACK memories, and various control registers of a generic instruction set architecture. Unlike most educational CPU simulators, CodeAPeel does not simulate a real processor such as MIPS or RISC-V, but it is designed and implemented as a generic RISC instruction set architecture with both scalar and vector operands, making it a dual architecture, supporting Flynn's SISD and SIMD instruction set architectures.