The RISC-V instruction set architecture (ISA) provides a unique opportunity. Its structure allows developers to use processors with a wide range of sizes and performance that offer unprecedented software compatibility. The key to leveraging this compatibility is understanding the RISC-V core naming code.
Unlike most processor architectures, RISC-V is open-source, available to developers without licensing or royalty fees. Further, the ISA is designed to be flexible, allowing developers to choose what instruction blocks they wish to implement and omit what they don’t need, even adding custom instructions if desired. The intent is to stimulate the development of multiple processor cores with varying size and performance attributes that share a common basis.