Computer architecture is the overall design and organization of a computer system that defines how its various components interact to execute tasks and process data. It specifies the structure and behavior of hardware and software, including the central processing unit (CPU), memory, input/output systems, and storage, as well as how these parts communicate and work together to perform computing functions

. Key aspects of computer architecture include:

• System Design: The physical hardware components such as CPU, memory controllers, multiprocessors, and input/output devices

• Instruction Set Architecture (ISA): The set of instructions the CPU can execute, defining the machine interface targeted by programming languages and software

• Microarchitecture: The detailed implementation of the ISA in hardware, including data paths and storage elements within the CPU

The CPU is central to computer architecture, consisting of components like the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) for performing operations, the Control Unit (CU) for managing data flow, and registers for temporary data storage

. Modern computer architectures also incorporate techniques like instruction pipelining and parallel processing to enhance performance

. In essence, computer architecture is the blueprint that determines how a computer processes information, how fast it operates, and how efficiently it uses resources, forming the foundation of all computing devices from smartphones to supercomputers