The von Neumann architecture is a computer architecture based on a 1945 description by John von Neumann, which includes
- A processing unit with both an arithmetic logic unit and processor registers
- A control unit that includes an instruction register and a program counter
- Memory that stores data and instructions
- External mass storage
- Input and output mechanisms
von Neumann architecture has the following characteristics
- Use binary format to represent data and programs
- Have three main components P-M-I/O, that is, processor, memory and I/O devices
- It's a stored program computer, which can store in memory a set of instructions (a program) that details the computation.
- It's instruction driven, and a instruction set is designed to define what the processor can do
- Sequential execution. The instructions are executed one by one, and only one can be tackled in the meantime
See also: Software Stack on a von Neumann Computer