8.3 Architecture

To maximize performance and parallelism, the AVR CPU uses a Harvard architecture with separate buses for program and data. Instructions in the program memory are executed with a single-level pipeline. While one instruction is being executed, the next instruction is pre-fetched from the program memory. This enables instructions to be executed on every clock cycle.

Refer to the Instruction Set Summary section for a summary of all AVR instructions.

Figure 8-1. AVR® CPU Architecture