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An '''assembly language''' is a low-level [[programming language]] that is specific to a given [[CPU]]'s instruction set in an one-to-one relationship. For instance, the [[Zilog Z80]] assembly language is different from the [[Intel 8080]] assembly language, despite the similarities in the underlying instruction sets. Each assembly instruction maps directly to a machine language instruction and vice versa. This also means that machine language instructions can easily be converted ("disassembled") to assembly language for, for example, purposes of debugging and reverse engineering. In other words, assembly language is "just" a human-comprehensible way of displaying processor instructions.

An '''assembly language''' is a low-level [[programming language]] that is specific to a given [[CPU]]'s instruction set in an one-to-one relationship. For instance, the [[Zilog Z80]] assembly language is different from the [[Intel 8080]] assembly language, despite the similarities in the underlying instruction sets. Each assembly instruction maps directly to a machine language instruction and vice versa. This also means that machine language instructions can easily be converted ("disassembled") to assembly language for, for example, purposes of debugging and reverse engineering. In other words, assembly language is "just" a human-comprehensible way of displaying processor instructions.

A program, called an '''assembler''' converts source code written in assembly language into the CPU's machine code.  Each CPU instruction is assigned a short mnemonic code (traditionally 3 or 4 characters in length).  Additional syntax supports registers, addressing modes, labels and other symbolic names, comments, and directives.  Assembly languages supporting macro processing (substitution, etc) used to be called macro assembly languages, but as most assembly languages now support macros, the "macro" prefix has been dropped from common usage.

A program, called an '''assembler''' converts source code written in assembly language into the CPU's machine code.  Each CPU instruction is assigned a short mnemonic code (traditionally 3 or 4 characters in length).  Additional syntax supports registers, addressing modes, labels and other symbolic names, comments, and directives.  Assembly languages supporting macro processing (substitution, etc.) used to be called macro assembly languages, but as most assembly languages now support macros, the "macro" prefix has been dropped from common usage.

The instruction mnemonics are typically defined by the manufacturer of the CPU.  Although anyone could assign their own arbitrary set of mnemonics for a CPU's instruction set, in practice this is seldom done.

The instruction mnemonics are typically defined by the manufacturer of the CPU.  Although anyone could assign their own arbitrary set of mnemonics for a CPU's instruction set, in practice this is seldom done.