Flynn's taxonomy

Flynn's taxonomy is a classification of computer architectures based on the number of streams of instructions and data:

Single instruction/single data stream (SISD) - a sequential computer.

Multiple instruction/single data stream (MISD) - unusual.

Single instruction/multiple data streams (SIMD) - e.g. an array processor.

Multiple instruction/multiple data streams (MIMD) - multiple autonomous processors simultaneously executing different instructions on different data.

References

• A Survey of Parallel Computer Architectures", Duncan, Ralph, IEEE Computer. February 1990, pp. 5-16.

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