Memory map

<p>In <a href="/facts/Computer_science/lN3pEyPz">computer science</a>, a memory map is a structure of data (which usually resides in memory itself) that indicates how <a href="/facts/Main_memory/wPHKFpdx">memory</a> is laid out. The term "memory map" has different meanings in different contexts.
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<ol><li>It is the fastest and most flexible <a href="/facts/Cache_(computing)/gmJYN8wm">cache</a> organization that uses an <a href="/facts/Content-addressable_memory/VteSPHMR">associative memory</a>. The associative memory stores both the address and content of the memory word.</li>
<li>In the <a href="/facts/Booting/j6N1kRpc">boot process</a> of some computers, a memory map may be passed on from the <a href="/facts/Firmware/62UVKIUK">firmware</a> to instruct an <a href="/facts/Operating_system/8XTuvMh2">operating system</a> <a href="/facts/Kernel_(operating_system)/uEj4U3Rz">kernel</a> about memory layout. It contains the information regarding the size of total memory, any reserved regions and may also provide other details specific to the architecture.</li>
<li>In <a href="/facts/Virtual_memory/Lw2GemF5">virtual memory</a> implementations and <a href="/facts/Memory_management_unit/tJQtAQzI">memory management units</a>, a memory map refers to <a href="/facts/Page_table/0IBU5cwg">page tables</a> or <a href="/facts/Hardware_register/V1roVh0p">hardware registers</a>, which store the mapping between a certain process's virtual memory layout and how that space relates to physical memory addresses.</li>
<li>In native <a href="/facts/Debugger/mCe6UsWj">debugger</a> programs, a memory map refers to the mapping between loaded executable(or)library files and memory regions. These memory maps are used to resolve <a href="/facts/Memory_address/7EsUmbea">memory addresses</a> (such as <a href="/facts/Function_pointer/PEhvvsQB">function pointers</a>) to actual symbols.</li></ol>

Memory map open-in-new

Memory map