CPU Design · All levels

CPU Design Cheatsheet

Dense reference for mechanism-first CPU debugging and architecture closure decisions.

Debug order

diagram

WORKLOAD -> STAGE LOSS -> MECHANISM -> ARTIFACT -> OWNER -> DECISION

FRONT-END: fetch/decode/predict quality
OOO CORE: rename/queue/retire pressure
MEMORY: cache/TLB/prefetch/coherence behavior
SYSTEM: interconnect/NUMA/synchronization effects
SILICON: timing/power/thermal/bring-up constraints

Questions before proposing a fix

Which workload fails first and how reproducible is it?
Which stage loses first under locked metadata?
Which artifact proves causality?
Who owns the smallest reversible fix?
What validation and rollback gates close release risk?

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