user manual

2 About this Document
AMD Athlon™ Processor x86 Code Optimization
22007E/0—November 1999
previous-generation processors and describes how those
optimizations are applicable to the AMD Athlon processor. This
guide contains the following chapters:
Chapter 1: Introduction. Outlines the material covered in this
document. Summarizes the AMD Athlon microarchitecture.
Chapter 2: Top Optimizations. Provides convenient descriptions of
the most important optimizations a programmer should take
into consideration.
Chapter 3: C Source Level Optimizations. Describes optimizations that
C/C++ programmers can implement.
Chapter 4: Instruction Decoding Optimizations. Describes methods that
will make the most efficient use of the three sophisticated
instruction decoders in the AMD Athlon processor.
Chapter 5: Cache and Memory Optimizations. Describes optimizations
that makes efficient use of the large L1 caches and high-
bandwidth buses of the AMD Athlon processor.
Chapter 6: Branch Optimizations. Describes optimizations that
improves branch prediction and minimizes branch penalties.
Chapter 7: Scheduling Optimizations. Describes optimizations that
improves code scheduling for efficient execution resource
utilization.
Chapter 8: Integer Optimizations. Describes optimizations that
improves integer arithmetic and makes efficient use of the
integer execution units in the AMD Athlon processor.
Chapter 9: Floating-Point Optimizations. Describes optimizations that
makes maximum use of the superscalar and pipelined floating-
point unit (FPU) of the AMD Athlon processor.
Chapter 10: 3DNow!™ and MMX™ Optimizations. Describes guidelines
for Enhanced 3DNow! and MMX code optimization techniques.
Chapter 11: General x86 Optimizations Guidelines. Lists generic
optimizations techniques applicable to x86 processors.
Appendix A: AMD Athlon Processor Microarchitecture. Describes in
detail the microarchitecture of the AMD Athlon processor.