Evolution of computer architecture

This article has two main objectives. The first is to give an overview of the evolution of computer architecture. This will help clarify the place and role of each of the individual articles in the "Hardware" section of this treatise. The second is to show the link between semiconductor technology, architectural concepts and the needs of the major classes of applications that use these computers, whether visible (PCs and servers) or invisible (embedded and mobile systems). While the increase in clock frequencies linked to successive generations of CMOS technology was the key factor in increasing performance until the early 2000s, the "wall of heat" prohibiting frequencies above 4 GHz triggered a shift towards parallel architectures (multi-core, GPUs, hardware gas pedals) to be able to continue increasing performance.