Assembly language, sometimes called 'assembler', is a very low level language, with each instruction corresponding exactly with each processor instruction.

Instead of interacting with a machine in its native language (pure binary code, as in machine code) a step has been taken to introduce mnemonics, or words to mean the same as the function of the command.

For example, the instruction to add the number 5 to the contents of the AX register might be written as ADD AX, 5.

However, because it is so machine-specific, there is no single "assembly language" that can be given. Assembly language is different for each processor type.

To translate the program code mnemonics into true machine code, a program called an assembler will be used.

Common assemblers for the PC are the freeware package NASM ( nasm.sourceforge.net ) and the commercial package A86 ( eji.com/a86/ ) which has been in development for some time, and is still reckoned to be the fastest assembler for Intel/IBM type machines. However, it is not compliant with anything other than Windows/DOS machines

What It Can Do

A programming language that was once removed from machine language. Machine languages consist entirely of numbers and are almost impossible for humans to read and write. Assembly languages have the same structure and set of commands as machine languages, but they enable a programmer to use names (mnemonics) instead of numbers.

Assembly Language is sometimes used in preference to an easier-to-learn language, such as C++, the reason is that Assembly Language is extremely fast, and includes functions that you cannot do with other high-level programming languages.

In essence, it allows the program to utilise the functions of the hardware at the hardware level, beneath operating systems.