Von Neumann architecture
A computer architecture with single unified memory storing both instructions and data, with CPU fetching and executing instructions sequentially. Von Neumann architecture is foundational to modern computers. Fetch-decode-execute cycle repeatedly processes instructions from memory.
Real World
Most desktop PCs, including those running Windows or macOS, use Von Neumann architecture — your Word document and the Word program itself share the same DDR5 RAM modules.
Exam Focus
Always name the Von Neumann bottleneck and explain it as instructions and data competing for the same bus.
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