Assembly language is a low-level programming language that is converted into machine code by an assembler utility program. It uses mnemonic codes that represent processor instructions to move data and perform operations. While it provides more control over hardware and requires less memory usage than high-level languages, assembly language also has limitations in that it is not portable, has difficult syntax to remember, and takes more time and effort to write and debug code.
2. Contents
• What is Assembly Language?
• Assembler and Assembling Technique
• Mnemonics
• Why Assembly?
• Limitations
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3. What is Assembly Language?
• An assembly language is a low-level programming language
• Used for a computer, or other programmable device.
• Assembly language is converted into executable machine code by a utility
program, that is referred as an assembler.
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4. Assembler and Assembling Technique
• The programmer normally translates each assembly language instruction into its
equivalent hexadecimal code. Then the hexadecimal code is entered into memory.
This is called “Hand Assembly” technique
• The other possibility is a program called an “Assembler”, which does the
translation automatically.
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5. Mnemonics
• The mnemonic for each instruction is usually a group of letters that suggest the
operation performed.
Mnemonics
Opcode Operands
MOV AX 03, 00
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6. Why Assembly Language?
• Provides knowledge of interface of programs with OS, processor and BIOS.
• How processor accesses and executes instruction.
• How instructions accesses and process data
• It requires less memory and execution time
• It allows hardware-specific complex jobs in an easier way.
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7. Limitations
• Not portable. It has a lack of portability of program between different computer
architectures.
• The syntax is difficult to remember.
• Hard to read, maintain and debug.
• It takes a lot of time and effort to write the code for the same.
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