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Chapter 1 Introduction 1
Software Optimization Guide for AMD64 Processors
25112 Rev. 3.06 September 2005
Chapter 1 Introduction
This guide provides optimization information and recommendations for the AMD Athlon™ 64 and
AMD Opteron™ processors. These optimizations are designed to yield software code that is fast,
compact, and efficient. Toward this end, the optimizations in each of the following chapters are listed
in order of importance.
This chapter covers the following topics:
1.1 Intended Audience
This book is intended for compiler and assembler designers, as well as C, C++, and assembly-
language programmers writing performance-sensitive code sequences. This guide assumes that you
are familiar with the AMD64 instruction set and the AMD64 architecture (registers and programming
modes). For complete information on the AMD64 architecture and instruction set, see the
multivolume AMD64 Architecture Programmer’s Manual available from AMD.com. Documentation
volumes and their order numbers are provided below.
1.2 Getting Started Quickly
More experienced readers may skip to “Key Optimizations” on page 6, which identifies the most
important optimizations.
Topic Page
Intended Audience 1
Getting Started Quickly 1
Using This Guide 2
Important New Terms 4
Key Optimizations 6
Title Order no.
Volume 1, Application Programming 24592
Volume 2, System Programming 24593
Volume 3, General-Purpose and System Instructions 24594
Volume 4, 128-Bit Media Instructions 26568
Volume 5, 64-Bit Media and x87 Floating-Point Instructions 26569