# Digging into RISC-V and how I learn new things

DevFeed: [Digging into RISC-V and how I learn new things](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/digging-into-risc-v-and-how-i-learn-new-things-35159.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://blog.jessfraz.com/post/digging-into-risc-v-and-how-i-learn-new-things/>)

Published: 2019-03-24T15:09:26Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Jessie Frazelle](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/jessie-frazelle.md>)

Topics: [RISC-V](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/riscv.md>), [interface](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/interface.md>), [Hardware](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/hardware.md>), [Software](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/software.md>), [x86](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/x86.md>), [intel](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/intel.md>)

Tags: [architecture](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/architecture.md>), [hardware](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/hardware.md>), [intel](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/intel.md>), [interface](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/interface.md>), [learn](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/learn.md>), [risc-v](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/risc-v.md>), [software](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/software.md>), [x86](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/x86.md>)

## AI overview

This article uses the author's research into RISC-V to illustrate a recursive approach to learning new subjects. It introduces instruction set architectures as the interface between hardware and software, compares processor implementations, and begins discussing reduced instruction set computers.

## Source excerpt

I recently have started researching and playing around with RISC-V for fun. I thought it might be nice to combine some of what I've learned into a blog post. However, I don't just want to highlight what I learned. I want to use this as an example of how to go about learning something new. Recently, Erik St. Martin, Shubheksha Jalan, and I were discussing how we learn new things and we all thought it might be beneficial to have a way to document this process for others. What better way to document this then by example with my recent research into RISC-V? I've said it before and I will say it again, I think anyone is capable of doing or learning anything, they just need the right motivation and to believe in themselves. I also made a point of including the book Super Brain on my list of recommended books, because it confirms with science that if you set your sights high you can accomplish great things, but if you set your expectations low it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. To put it more bluntly, believe in yourself! I became fascinated by what is happening in the RISC-V space just by seeing it pop up every now and then in my Twitter feed. Since I am currently unemployed I have a lot of time and autonomy to dig into whatever I wish. RISC-V is a new instruction set architecture. To understand RISC-V, we must first dig into what an instruction set architecture is. This is my learning technique. I bounce from one thing to another, recursively digging deeper as I learn more. What is an instruction set architecture (ISA)? An instruction set architecture is the interface between the hardware and the software. Models of processors can implement the same instruction set but have different internal designs for implementing the interface. This leads to various processors having the same instruction set but differing in performance, physical size, and monetary cost. For example, Intel and AMD have processors that both implement the same x86 instruction set but have very diff