Structure and Principles of Arm Architecture for System Software Development - Part 2, Taught by the Author (2024 Version)

0. 30% Discount Coupon Issued for Reaching 300 Students

To celebrate reaching 300 students (Parts 1 & 2), we are issuing a 30% discount coupon. Thank you. Limited to the first 100 people.

• Coupon link: https://inf.run/WsW2h

1. 2024 Latest Course Renewal

I've discovered useful content on the latest Arm architecture features that can be directly applied to real-world projects and added the following lectures. (3 hours 30 minutes added)

• TRACE32 Program Debugging Content: You can download the educational TRACE32 simulator program from the 'Inflearn Lecture Materials'. You can directly use the TRACE32 simulator program to follow along with the debugging process (including assembly instructions) explained in the lecture.

• Debugging Practice Lectures: Armv7-A Exception (35 min), Armv8-A Exception (2 hours), AAPCS (60 min)

• Memory dumps: 3 provided for exception debugging

We plan to continuously discover helpful content for students and update the curriculum.

2. Complete Arm Architecture Author-Led Course Roadmap

This course is included in the roadmap'Arm for System Software Developers - basic course'.

If you want to learn Arm architecture (Armv8-A, Armv7-A) systematically, it's recommended to use the roadmap (30% discount on all courses). For reference, the Arm architecture roadmap (complete author-led courses) consists of 2 options: Basic Course and Advanced Course.

The most important Arm architecture
in modern system software

The Arm processors used in smartphones, AI SoCs, electric vehicle Automotive (autonomous driving, infotainment), cloud servers, and MacBooks are all Armv8-A based 64-bit Cortex-A processors (Cortex-A53, Cortex-A57, Cortex-A72, etc.). Currently, the foundational knowledge most needed in the system software industry can be said to be Armv8-A architecture.

However, does the latest Arm architecture, Armv8-A and Armv7-A architecture, feel too difficult to you?

System software developers and embedded systems (BSP) programmers, pay attention!🙋‍♂

Many aspiring Linux embedded developers study computer architecture and operating systems. They also study CS theory to some extent. System semiconductor and electric vehicle system software developers, which are emerging fields recently, analyze Linux device drivers, RTOS, or bootloaders. However, they feel on their own that this alone is somehow insufficient. They know that understanding Arm architecture is essential to becoming a professional system software developer, but the moment they open the Arm specification document, they realize it's not an easy path and that self-study would be difficult.

We explain the core of Arm architecture
in an easy-to-understand way!

It's no exaggeration to say that the core of system software development is CPU and computer architecture. This course provides an easy-to-understand explanation of the core theories of the latest Arm architecture (Armv8-A, Armv7-A), the CPU processor most in demand in the IT industry!

The reason Arm architecture is difficult is because it's only taught from a hardware processor perspective. This course explains how the components that make up Arm architecture are actually used through code analysis and concrete examples. This course will play a pivotal role in helping you become a skilled system software developer.

Course Content 📕

This section introduces what exceptions are in CPU architecture and explains the basic operation of exceptions while reviewing the Arm specification.

It explains in detail why you need to understand Arm architecture exceptions in real-world projects.

Explains step-by-step the exception execution flow in Armv7 architecture and provides detailed analysis of how exceptions are handled in software.

Provides a detailed explanation of how memory aborts - Prefetch or Data Abort - are handled in the Armv7 architecture. Explains the execution flow for processing IRQ interrupt exceptions.

Explains the execution flow of the Supervisor Call (software interrupt) exception that is triggered when executing the SVC instruction in the Armv7 architecture. Summarizes the overall execution flow of exceptions.

Explains in detail with a big picture view the actual operations that trigger Data Abort and Undefined Instruction exceptions.

Introduces the characteristics of exceptions defined in the Armv8 architecture. Explains the types and classification system of Armv8 architecture exceptions.

Explains the flow of how Synchronous exceptions are handled in the Armv8 architecture.

Explains the execution flow of how interrupts are processed at each stage in the Armv8 architecture from a big picture perspective. Describes the registers that are updated during this process and the exception handlers.

Introduces the interrupt controller and explains the overall structure of the GIC.

Explains the overall structure of the GIC with a big picture and describes the key features of each GIC version.

It explains the interrupt sources and types defined in GIC and describes how interrupts are handled in SMP (multi-core systems).

This explains the GIC programmer's model designed from a software development perspective, and describes the physical structure of the GIC.

Explains the structure of the distributor and the system registers used to control the distributor. Explains the structure of the CPU interface and the system registers used to control the CPU interface.

This explains the core concepts of IRQ and FIQ and provides detailed explanations of their execution flow.

This section explains the GIC handler routines (Linux kernel, XEN hypervisor) that control the GIC through software.

Introduces the function calling convention in CPU architecture and the key features that make up AAPCS.

Armv7-A Architecture: Provides detailed explanations of how the PUSH and POP instructions, which are core to AAPCS, operate.

Armv7-A Architecture: Provides a detailed explanation of the execution flow of the BL instruction, which is core to AAPCS, and related assembly instructions.

Armv8-A Architecture: Provides a detailed explanation of how the STP instruction, which is core to AAPCS, works and how BL assembly operates.

Armv8-A: Introduces methods to solve problems in real-world projects by applying knowledge related to AAPCS. Provides detailed explanations of skills to prevent stack overflow and stack corruption.

The shortcut to understanding Arm principles is
to read and understand the specification documents directly!

For beginners, Arm is never easy. No matter how useful the content is, it's difficult to understand. This course was designed to open a path for you to more easily approach the difficult Arm architecture theory.

Based on book writing/teaching experience
More in-depth and detailed than anyone else!

Unprecedented in Korea's system software field! Author of books on 'Arm Architecture (Armv8-A, Armv7-A)' and 'Linux Kernel' (both books selected as excellent publications by the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Korea), and the first in Korea to write the book (in English) "Reverse Engineering Armv8-A Systems" through an overseas publisher (Packt), making them a global author. Above all, they are a working developer who best understands the latest system software trends (electric vehicles, system semiconductors - system software). They are also an educator most actively engaged in knowledge dissemination activities in the system software field.

• 'Reverse Engineering Armv8-A Systems: A practical guide to Kernel, Firmware, and TrustZone analysis' book (English) author, (Packt Publishing) - 2025

• Author of 'Structure and Principles of Arm Architecture for System Software Development' (2024 Korea Academy Award for Outstanding Books)

• Author of 'Learning Linux Kernel Structure and Principles through Debugging' (2021 National Academy of Sciences Outstanding Book Award)

• Main instructor for 'Programmers Dev Course: Linux System and Kernel Expert'

• June 2022, Korea Computer Congress (KCC2022) - Tutorial Presentation [Mastering the Linux Kernel Using ftrace]

• LG Electronics 'Linux Kernel' and 'Armv8 Architecture' In-house Instructor (domestic and international developers included) - (2020~2024)

I can confidently say that I am an educator who can explain the key features of Arm architecture (Armv8-A, Armv7-A) better than anyone else in Korea.

Authentic reviews from learners