What is execution cycle ?

The execution cycle, also known as the instruction cycle, is the process by which a computer processes instructions from the memory and executes them. It consists of a series of steps that the CPU goes through to fetch, decode, execute, and store instructions. The execution cycle is repeated continuously as long as the computer is running, allowing it to perform tasks and run programs.

The execution cycle is the sequence of steps that a computer's central processing unit (CPU) follows to execute a computer program. The execution cycle consists of the following four steps:

1. Fetch: The CPU fetches the next instruction from memory.
2. Decode: The CPU decodes the instruction to determine what operation to perform.
3. Execute: The CPU executes the operation specified by the instruction.
4. Write back: The CPU writes the results of the operation back to memory.

The execution cycle is repeated until all of the instructions in the program have been executed.

The execution cycle is typically very fast, with each step taking only a few nanoseconds. However, the execution cycle can be slowed down by factors such as memory latency, cache misses, and branch mispredictions.