Introduction to Computer Systems (ICS)¶
Welcome to the XJTU-ICS course! This course offers a programmer’s perspective on how computer systems execute programs store data, and communicate with each other.
A key focus of the course is on developing your system programming skills. To achieve this, the course includes 6 hands-on lab assignments, which will help you strengthen your understanding of how systems operate at the code level. These lab assignments make up approximately 50% of your final grade, emphasizing the importance of practical programming in mastering the concepts covered in the course.
Enjoy!
Prerequisites: C Programming
Textbook: Randal E. Bryant and David R. O'Hallaron, Computer Systems: A Programmer's Perspective, Third Edition, Pearson, 2016
Announcements¶
Announcements for Week 6 
Please note the deadline and release date of labs:
-
AttackLab is due this Sunday (2025-03-30 23:59). Don't forget to submit.
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CacheLab is planned to released this week. Enjoy!
DON'T CHEAT. Big Brother is watching you!
~ XJTU-ICS Course Staff
Getting Help¶
- Piazza
- QQ group: 1030663999
- Office Hours
- Danfeng Shan: 21:30-22:30, Every Tuesday and Thursday
- Hao Li: TBD
Schedule¶
| Week | Date | Lecture | Instructors | Materials | Reading | Labs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2025-02-18 | Overview | Hao Li && Danfeng Shan | Slides | 1 | |
| 1 | 2025-02-20 | Bits, Bytes, & Integers | Danfeng Shan | Slides | 2.1-2.3 | datalab out |
| 2 | 2025-02-25 | Machine Prog: Basics | Danfeng Shan | Slides | 3.1-3.3 | |
| 2 | 2025-02-27 | Machine Prog: Basics | Danfeng Shan | Slides | 3.4-3.5 | |
| 3 | 2025-03-04 | Machine Prog: Control | Danfeng Shan | Slides | 3.7 | |
| 3 | 2025-03-06 | Machine Prog: Procedures | Danfeng Shan | Slides | 3.7 | bomblab out |
| 3 | 2025-03-09 | No Lecture | datalab due | |||
| 4 | 2025-03-11 | Machine Prog: Data | Danfeng Shan | Slides | 3.8-3.9 | |
| 4 | 2025-03-13 | Machine Prog: Advanced | Danfeng Shan | Slides | 3.1 | |
| 5 | 2025-03-18 | Machine Prog: Advanced | Danfeng Shan | Slides | 3.1 | attacklab out |
| 5 | 2025-03-20 | The Memory Hierarchy | Danfeng Shan | Slides | 6.1-6.3 | |
| 5 | 2025-03-23 | No Lecture | bomblab due | |||
| 6 | 2025-03-25 | Cache Memories | Danfeng Shan | Slides | 6.4-6.7 | |
| 6 | 2025-03-27 | Cache Memories | Danfeng Shan | Slides | 6.4-6.7 | cachelab out |
| 6 | 2025-03-30 | No Lecture | attacklab due | |||
| 7 | 2025-04-01 | Machine independent Optimization | Hao Li | Slides | 5.1-5.6 | |
| 7 | 2025-04-03 | Machine dependent Optimization | Hao Li | Slides | 5.7-5.11 | optimlab out |
| 8 | 2025-04-08 | Linking I: Basic Concepts and Procedures | Hao Li | Slides | 7.1-7.7 | |
| 8 | 2025-04-10 | Linking II: Static and Dynamic Linking | Hao Li | Slides | 7.7-7.13 | |
| 8 | 2025-04-13 | No Lecture | cachelab due | |||
| 9 | 2025-04-15 | Linking II: Static and Dynamic Linking | Hao Li | Slides | 7.7-7.13 | |
| 9 | 2025-04-17 | Operating System: History and Three Easy Pieces | Hao Li | Slides | linkerlab out | |
| 10 | 2025-04-22 | Processes and Multitasking | Hao Li | Slides | 8.2-8.4 | |
| 10 | 2025-04-24 | Processes and Multitasking | Hao Li | Slides | 8.2-8.4 | optimlab due |
| 11 | 2025-04-29 | Exceptional Control Flow | Hao Li | Slides | 8.1 | |
| 11 | 2025-05-01 | No Lecture (Labour Day) | ||||
| 12 | 2025-05-06 | Exceptional Control Flow | Hao Li | Slides | 8.5-8.7 | linkerlab due |
| 12 | 2025-05-08 | Virtual Memory: Concepts | Hao Li | Slides | 9.1-9.6 | |
| 13 | 2025-05-13 | Virtual Memory: Concepts | Hao Li | Slides | 9.1-9.6 | |
| 13 | 2025-05-15 | Virtual Memory: Details | Hao Li | Slides | 9.7-9.8 | |
| 14 | 2025-05-20 | Dynamic Memory Allocation: Basic Concepts | Hao Li | Slides | 9.9 | |
| 14 | 2025-05-22 | Dynamic Memory Allocation: Advanced Concepts | Hao Li | Slides | 9.9 | malloclab out |
| 15 | 2025-05-27 | Processor Architecture | Danfeng Shan | 4.1-4.3 | ||
| 15 | 2025-05-29 | Processor Architecture | Danfeng Shan | 4.4-4.6 | ||
| 16 | 2025-06-03 | Exam Review | Danfeng Shan | malloclab due | ||
| 16 | 2025-06-05 | Exam Review | Danfeng Shan |