Nand2Tetris

• my implementation of the projects
• introduction to the course and each project (all pictures below are from course slides)

Course Website

Build a Modern Computer from First Principles: Nand to Tetris Part I

Build a Modern Computer from First Principles: Nand to Tetris Part II

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Course Introduction

In this project-centered course you will build a modern computer system, from the ground up.

In part I we’ll divide this fascinating journey into six hands-on projects that will take you from constructing elementary logic gates all the way through creating a fully functioning general purpose computer. In the process, you will learn - in the most direct and constructive way - how computers work, and how they are designed.

In part II you will build a modern software hierarchy, designed to enable the translation and execution of object-based, high-level languages on a bare-bone computer hardware platform. In particular, you will implement a virtual machine and a compiler for a simple, Java-like programming language, and you will develop a basic operating system that closes gaps between the high-level language and the underlying hardware platform. In the process, you will gain a deep, hands-on understanding of numerous topics in applied computer science, e.g. stack processing, parsing, code generation, and classical algorithms and data structures for memory management, vector graphics, input-output handling, and various other topics that lie at the very core of every modern computer system.

Project Demonstration

demo.mov

Project Info

1. Elementary Logic Gates

• use HDL (Hardware Discription Language) to implement a set of elementary logic gates like And, Or, Mux, etc.
• as well as their bit-wise versions And16, Or16, Mux16, etc.
• all gates are builded upon built-in NAND gate

2. Boolean Arithmetic

• build a set of chips like HalfAdder, FullAdder, Add16, Inc16

• construct an ALU (Arithmetic-Logic Unit) chip using builed chips

  

3. Memory

• build chips which can store bits persistently over time, including PC, Register, RAM8, RAM16, etc.

• build a RAM (Random Access Memory) unit using builded chips

  

4. Machine Language Programming

• write programs using low-level assembly language which is designed upon Hack instruction set

• (Assembly programming can be highly rewarding, allowing direct and complete control of the underlying machine.)

  

5. Computer Architecture

• construct the Hack CPU (Central Processing Unit)

• construct the Hack hardware platform - memory chip

• put all chips together to yield the top-most Computer chip

  

6. The Assembler

• write an Assembler program which can translate symbolic Hack assembly code into binary machine code which can execute on the Hack hardware platform

  

7. Virtual Machine I - Stack Arithmetic

• build a basic VM translator, focusing on the implementation of the VM language's stack arithmetic and memory access commands.

  

8. Virtual Machine II - Program Control

• extend the basic VM translator into a full-scale VM translator

• implement the VM language's branching and function calling commands

  

9. High-Level Language

• write a program in Jack: a simple, Java-like, object-based programming language

  

10. Compiler I - Syntax Analysis

• build a syntax analyzer that parses Jack programs according to the Jack grammar

  

11. Compiler II - Code Generation

• extend the syntax analyzer into a full-scale Jack compiler

• write routines which translate Jack command into VM language code

  

12. Operating System

• implement the Jack operating system which is a collection of software services such as input/output drivers, math operations, string processing, and memory management