This chapter discusses reduced instruction set computers (RISC). It provides background on major advances in computers that led to RISC designs, such as cache memory, microprocessors, and pipelining. The key features of RISC processors are described, including large general-purpose registers, a limited and simple instruction set, and an emphasis on optimizing the instruction pipeline. The chapter compares RISC to CISC processors and discusses the driving forces behind both approaches. It analyzes the execution characteristics of programs and implications for processor design, such as optimizing register usage and careful pipeline design.