Model of computationIn computer science, and more specifically in computability theory and computational complexity theory, a model of computation is a model which describes how an output of a mathematical function is computed given an input. A model describes how units of computations, memories, and communications are organized. The computational complexity of an algorithm can be measured given a model of computation. Using a model allows studying the performance of algorithms independently of the variations that are specific to particular implementations and specific technology.
Register machineIn mathematical logic and theoretical computer science, a register machine is a generic class of abstract machines used in a manner similar to a Turing machine. All the models are Turing equivalent. The register machine gets its name from its use of one or more "registers". In contrast to the tape and head used by a Turing machine, the model uses multiple, uniquely addressed registers, each of which holds a single positive integer.
Counter machineA counter machine is an abstract machine used in a formal logic and theoretical computer science to model computation. It is the most primitive of the four types of register machines. A counter machine comprises a set of one or more unbounded registers, each of which can hold a single non-negative integer, and a list of (usually sequential) arithmetic and control instructions for the machine to follow. The counter machine is typically used in the process of designing parallel algorithms in relation to the mutual exclusion principle.
Pointer machineIn theoretical computer science, a pointer machine is an atomistic abstract computational machine model akin to the random-access machine. A pointer algorithm could also be an algorithm restricted to the pointer machine model. Depending on the type, a pointer machine may be called a linking automaton, a KU-machine, an SMM, an atomistic LISP machine, a tree-pointer machine, etc. (cf Ben-Amram 1995). At least three major varieties exist in the literature—the Kolmogorov-Uspenskii model (KUM, KU-machine), the Knuth linking automaton, and the Schönhage Storage Modification Machine model (SMM).
Random-access stored-program machineIn theoretical computer science the random-access stored-program (RASP) machine model is an abstract machine used for the purposes of algorithm development and algorithm complexity theory. The RASP is a random-access machine (RAM) model that, unlike the RAM, has its program in its "registers" together with its input. The registers are unbounded (infinite in capacity); whether the number of registers is finite is model-specific. Thus the RASP is to the RAM as the Universal Turing machine is to the Turing machine.
