Assembly Language x86 Processors for beginners from Udemy

This course focuses on programming microprocessors that compatible with Intel and AMD processors with 32 bit and 64 bit of Microsoft Windows.

In this course we will use MASM (Microsoft Macro Assembler) which is included in Microsoft Visual Studio using Irvine.

In this course you will learn basic principles about assembly language, also you will learn the architecture of Intel processor, this course will make you better in Assembly programming and debugging, hardware manipulation and data representation.

For this course you should have programmed in at least one high-level language such as Python, Java, C

This course will cover the following topics:

1-Number systems and data representation (Decimal, Binary and Hexadecimal, Binary and Hexadecimal addition and subtraction)

2- Assembly Language Fundamentals and defining data (types of registers, defining string, Mnemonics, Operands, Directives, Instructions and labels)

3-Data transfer instructions (MOV, MOVZX, MOVSX and XCHG)

4-Data related operators and directives (ALIGN, LENGTHOF, OFFSET, PTR, SIZEOF and TYPE)

5-Inderict addressing ( Indexed operands and Pointers)

6-Addition and subtraction (Flags affected by addition and subtraction, INC and DEC instructions)

7-Procedures and stack operations (CALL and RET instructions, Stack parameters, POP and PUSH and LEA instructions)

8-Boolean and comparisons instructions (AND, NOT, OR, TEST and XOR instructions)

9-Conditional jumps and loop instructions (Conditional structure, Unconditional JMP and LOOP instructions, Jump based on equality JE JNE JCXZ JECXZ, Jump based on signed comparisons, Jump based on unsigned comparisons, Jumps based on specific flag values, LOOPZ LOOPNZ LOOPE and LOOPNE instructions, While loops)

10-Shift and rotate instructions (RCL, RCR, ROL, ROR, SHL, SHR, SHLD and SHRD)

11-Multiplications and division instructions (MUL, IMUL, DIV and IDIV)

What's inside

Learning objectives

Write and debug assembly programs with masm at the machine level for x86 and intel64 processors
Number systems and data representation
Assembly language basic elements
Defining data
Data transfer instructions
Addition and subtraction
Operators and directives
Indirect addressing

Procedures and stack operations
Boolean and comparison instructions
Conditional jumps
Shift and rotate instructions
Multiplication and division instructions
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Write and debug assembly programs with masm at the machine level for x86 and intel64 processors
Number systems and data representation
Assembly language basic elements
Defining data
Data transfer instructions
Addition and subtraction
Operators and directives
Indirect addressing
Procedures and stack operations
Boolean and comparison instructions
Conditional jumps
Shift and rotate instructions
Multiplication and division instructions
Show more
Show less

Syllabus

Introduction

Introduction to Assembly Language for x86 Processors

Installing Visual Studio 2022 Community Edition

Setup Visual Studio 2022 for Assembly x86

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Uses MASM (Microsoft Macro Assembler) within Visual Studio, providing a practical environment for learning assembly programming on Windows

Covers number systems and data representation, which are fundamental for understanding low-level programming and hardware interaction

Explores assembly language fundamentals, including registers, mnemonics, operands, and directives, which are essential for writing assembly code

Requires prior experience in a high-level language like Python, Java, or C, suggesting a need for basic programming concepts

Focuses on x86 processors, which may limit its applicability to other architectures, such as ARM or RISC-V

Reviews summary

Beginner x86 assembly with masm

According to learners, this course provides a solid introduction to x86 assembly language programming using MASM and Irvine32. Students appreciate the clear coverage of fundamentals like number systems, registers, and core instructions (MOV, JMP, etc.). The course includes helpful examples and assignments that reinforce concepts and aid in understanding. However, learners note that assembly language itself is inherently challenging and requires significant effort. Some find the reliance on MASM and the Irvine32 library makes the course very Windows-specific, which may not be ideal for all learners or purposes like cross-platform development or certain areas of security.

Covers a wide range of x86 instructions.

"Covers all the core instruction types including shifts, loops, and procedures."

"The syllabus covers a comprehensive list of assembly instructions."

"Learned about MOV, INC/DEC, PUSH/POP, Boolean, Jumps, Shifts, Mul/Div instructions."

Examples and assignments aid learning.

"The examples really helped solidify my understanding."

"The assignments reinforced the concepts well, especially on jumps and loops."

"Practical examples provided throughout the course make the theory much easier to grasp."

Strong foundation in assembly basics.

"The course covers fundamentals like number systems, registers, and basic instructions clearly."

"It gives a solid introduction to x86 assembly language."

"I really appreciated the clear breakdown of the basics of assembly."

"The explanation of number systems and data representation was very clear and helpful for a beginner."

Relies on Windows, MASM, Irvine32.

"It's very tied to Windows/VS/MASM - not ideal if you want to learn ASM for other platforms or more modern uses."

"Solid course for getting started with x86 ASM on Windows using MASM... Wish there was a bit more on practical applications..."

"The reliance on the Irvine32 library makes it quite specific."

"Setup tied to Visual Studio which might be a barrier for some not already using it."

Subject matter is challenging.

"Assembly is tough, and sometimes the explanations felt a bit dry or rushed through complex ideas..."

"Be prepared for a steep learning curve; assembly language is inherently difficult."

"Requires a lot of self-study outside the course due to the nature of the subject."

"Understanding low-level concepts takes time and effort, even with good explanations."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Assembly Language x86 Processors for beginners with these activities:

Review Number Systems

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Reinforce your understanding of number systems and data representation, which are fundamental to assembly language programming.

Browse courses on Number Systems

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Review decimal, binary, and hexadecimal number systems.
Practice converting between different number systems.
Work through addition and subtraction problems in binary and hexadecimal.

Read 'Assembly Language for x86 Processors' by Kip Irvine

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Supplement your learning with a comprehensive textbook on x86 assembly language.

View Assembly Language for x86 Processors on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'Assembly Language for x86 Processors' by Kip Irvine.
Read the chapters relevant to the course topics.
Work through the examples and exercises in the book.

Assembly Language Coding Challenges

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Sharpen your assembly language programming skills by completing coding challenges.

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Find online resources with assembly language coding challenges.
Attempt to solve the challenges using MASM and Irvine library.
Debug and test your code thoroughly.

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Create a Cheat Sheet for Assembly Instructions

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Consolidate your knowledge of assembly instructions by creating a cheat sheet.

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List all the assembly instructions covered in the course.
For each instruction, write a brief description of its function and syntax.
Organize the cheat sheet for easy reference.

Read 'Programming from the Ground Up' by Jonathan Bartlett

Show steps

Gain a deeper understanding of assembly language by exploring a book that focuses on low-level programming.

View Learn to Program with Assembly on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'Programming from the Ground Up' by Jonathan Bartlett.
Read the chapters relevant to the course topics, focusing on the fundamentals.
Experiment with the examples provided in the book.

Develop a Simple Calculator in Assembly

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Apply your assembly language skills by developing a practical application.

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Design the calculator's functionality and user interface.
Write the assembly code for the calculator's logic.
Test and debug the calculator thoroughly.
Add features such as memory and error handling.

Help other students in the discussion forums

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Reinforce your understanding by helping other students with their questions and problems.

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Regularly check the course discussion forums.
Answer questions from other students to the best of your ability.
Explain concepts clearly and provide helpful examples.

Career center

Learners who complete Assembly Language x86 Processors for beginners will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Malware Analyst

A malware analyst examines and dissects malicious software to understand its functionality, behavior, and impact. This career typically requires a master's degree. This course, with its emphasis on assembly language programming for x86 processors, may be highly valuable. Malware is often written or obfuscated using assembly language to evade detection and achieve low-level control over infected systems. Learning assembly language fundamentals, data representation, and debugging techniques, as covered in this course, helps build a strong foundation for malware analysis. In particular, the sections on Boolean and comparison instructions, conditional jumps and loop instructions, and shift and rotate instructions may prove especially helpful for reverse engineering malware.

See salaries and explore the career path for Malware Analyst

Reverse Engineer

A reverse engineer analyzes software or hardware to understand its design, functionality, and implementation, often without access to the original source code or documentation. This course that focuses on programming microprocessors for Intel and AMD processors, particularly with MASM (Microsoft Macro Assembler), helps build a foundation for reverse engineering. By learning assembly language fundamentals, Intel processor architecture, and debugging techniques, you gain insights into how software interacts with hardware at a low level. Understanding data representation, operators, and instructions, as taught in this course, may provide a deeper understanding of disassembled code, aiding in the reverse engineering process. The modules on shift and rotate instructions, as well as multiplication and division instructions, may be especially helpful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Reverse Engineer

Exploit Developer

An exploit developer creates code that takes advantage of security vulnerabilities in software or hardware. This course, with its focus on assembly language programming for x86 processors, may be very relevant. A deep understanding of assembly language is often required to craft effective exploits. The course's coverage of assembly language fundamentals, data representation, and debugging techniques may provide the foundational knowledge needed to create exploits. The discussion of conditional jumps, loop instructions, shift, and rotate instructions may be particularly beneficial for those looking to understand and develop exploits.

See salaries and explore the career path for Exploit Developer

Systems Programmer

A systems programmer develops and maintains system software, such as operating systems, device drivers, and system utilities. System programming often requires a deep understanding of hardware and low-level programming techniques. This course, focused on assembly language for x86 processors, may be directly relevant. This course helps build a strong foundation for understanding how system software interacts with hardware. Assembly language fundamentals, data representation, and memory management covered in the course may be valuable for anyone working on system-level software. In particular, the modules on procedures and stack operations, boolean and comparison instructions, and conditional jumps and loop instructions may prove particularly useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Programmer

Firmware Engineer

A firmware engineer develops and maintains the low-level software that controls hardware devices. This course, centered around programming x86 processors using assembly language, may be highly relevant. Firmware engineers often work closely with microprocessors and need a deep understanding of their architecture and instruction sets. Learning about data transfer instructions, addition and subtraction, and procedures and stack operations, as covered in this course, helps build a strong foundation for working with firmware. The material on conditional jumps and loop instructions included in this course may be particularly beneficial.

See salaries and explore the career path for Firmware Engineer

Security Researcher

A security researcher investigates vulnerabilities in software and hardware systems. Assembly language knowledge, as taught in this course using x86 processors, may be valuable for analyzing malware, reverse engineering software, and understanding low-level security exploits. This course may help build a foundation for understanding how vulnerabilities are implemented at the machine level. By learning about assembly language fundamentals, data representation, and debugging techniques, security researchers may gain insights into how attackers exploit software and hardware. The sections covering Boolean and comparison instructions, conditional jumps and loop instructions, and shift and rotate instructions, could be particularly helpful for identifying and understanding security vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Researcher

Performance Engineer

A performance engineer analyzes and optimizes the performance of software systems. This course, by focusing on assembly language programming for x86 processors, may be valuable because it helps to understand how code executes at the machine level. Performance engineers often need to identify performance bottlenecks and optimize critical sections of code. Assembly language fundamentals, data representation, and instruction sets covered in this course helps build a strong foundation for performance analysis and optimization. The sections on shift and rotate instructions, as well as multiplication and division instructions, may be particularly useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Performance Engineer

Operating Systems Developer

An operating systems developer creates and maintains the core software that manages computer hardware and provides services for applications. This course, which focuses on assembly language for x86 processors, helps to explore the lower levels of operating system development. Assembly language knowledge is essential for understanding how operating systems interact directly with hardware. Learning about assembly language fundamentals, data representation, and memory management, as covered in this course, may provide a deeper understanding of operating system internals. In particular, the sections on procedures and stack operations may be helpful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operating Systems Developer

Compiler Developer

A compiler developer designs and implements compilers, which translate high-level programming languages into machine code. This course, focused on assembly language programming for x86 processors, may be useful, as it provides an understanding of the target architecture for many compilers. Knowing about data representation, instruction sets, and optimization techniques at the assembly level, as covered in this course, may help one to write more efficient compilers. By learning the basics of assembly language programming, the developer may better understand the machine level implications of compiler design decisions. The material on multiplication and division instructions may be particularly relevant.

See salaries and explore the career path for Compiler Developer

Embedded Systems Engineer

An embedded systems engineer designs, develops, and tests software for embedded systems, which are computer systems designed for specific tasks within devices. This course, focusing on assembly language for x86 processors, may be valuable because embedded systems often require low-level programming and optimization for resource-constrained environments. Having an understanding of machine architecture helps to write optimized code. Learning about data representation, assembly language instructions, and memory management, as covered in this course, provides a foundation for working with embedded systems. The material on shift and rotate instructions may prove especially relevant.

See salaries and explore the career path for Embedded Systems Engineer

Game Programmer

A game programmer develops the code that brings video games to life. Game programmers often need to optimize their code for performance, making assembly language knowledge helpful. This course, focused on programming x86 processors, may be relevant for game programmers who need to optimize critical sections of their game engine or write custom assembly code for specific hardware platforms. Understanding data representation, instruction sets, and memory management provided by this course may provide a deeper understanding of how game engines work at a low level. The course's sections on shift and rotate instructions and multiplication and division instructions may be particularly beneficial for game programmers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Programmer

Computer Architect

A computer architect designs and develops the architecture of computer systems, including processors, memory systems, and storage devices. This role typically requires an advanced degree (master's or PhD). This course, which focuses on assembly language programming for x86 processors, may be especially valuable. As a computer architect, a deeper understanding of assembly language may help in making informed decisions about processor design and optimization. Assembly language fundamentals, data representation, and instruction sets, as covered in this course, provide a solid foundation for understanding computer architecture principles.The course's coverage on multiplication and division instructions may be especially helpful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Architect

Hardware Engineer

A hardware engineer designs, develops, and tests computer hardware components and systems. While hardware engineers primarily work with physical circuits and components, a basic understanding of assembly language programming, as taught in this course for x86 processors, may be beneficial. This is because it helps to understand how software interacts with hardware at a low level. Assembly language fundamentals, data representation, and instruction sets covered in this course may provide valuable context for hardware design decisions. The material on number systems and data representation may be particularly relevant.

See salaries and explore the career path for Hardware Engineer

Technical Support Engineer

A technical support engineer provides technical assistance to customers who are experiencing problems with software or hardware. Understanding assembly language, as taught in this course for x86 processors, may be useful for troubleshooting low-level software issues and understanding system behavior. The course may help one understand the root causes of software problems and provide more effective solutions. The modules on data representation, operators and directives, and indirect addressing may be particularly useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Support Engineer

Software Quality Assurance Engineer

A software quality assurance engineer tests software to ensure that it meets quality standards and performs as expected. Knowledge of assembly language, as covered in this course for x86 processors, may enhance testing by understanding how software interacts with hardware at a low level. Assembly language fundamentals, data representation, and debugging techniques may provide insights into potential software defects. The sections on conditional jumps and loop instructions may be particularly helpful for identifying logical errors in software code.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Quality Assurance Engineer

Assembly Language x86 Processors for beginners

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Beginner x86 assembly with masm

Activities

Career center

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