Archbase is an open-source textbook on computer architecture fundamentals written by researchers from the Loongson team.
The project addresses the need for accessible, continuously updated educational material on computer architecture by converting a published textbook into a living document. The approach uses rmarkdown format with bookdown tools for content editing, git for version control, and open-source hosting on the internet. This enables the material to be maintained collaboratively, with errata and improvements incorporated immediately into the online version rather than waiting for print cycles. The textbook covers twelve chapters including instruction set architecture, computer hardware structure, CPU microarchitecture, parallel processing structures, and performance analysis, with emphasis on instruction systems as the software-hardware interface and integrated hardware structures encompassing CPU, GPU, and chipset components.
The tool suits undergraduate computer science students learning computer architecture, as well as graduate students and computer technology professionals seeking reference material. The project is authored by active microprocessor design researchers who approach the subject from implementation perspectives while maintaining disciplinary completeness. The open-source approach allows broader adoption and feedback compared to traditional print publication, though the online versions generated from rmarkdown may not match the typographic quality of the publisher's official PDF or printed editions. Readers prioritizing layout fidelity can obtain the physical book from the publisher.
Development activity shows consistent engagement with the educational mission through maintenance of the open-source repository. The project accepts issue reports and corrections through its problem management system, incorporating accepted feedback directly into online versions. The authors continue to refine previously incomplete content and adjust material to reflect industry developments, treating the textbook as an evolving resource rather than a static artifact.
