Editing Random-access machine (section)

==Informal description==

An RA-machine consists of the following:

* an infinite number of [[Random-access memory|memory locations]] called "'''registers'''"; each register has an [[Memory address|address]] which is a [[natural number]] or zero; each register can store exactly one natural number of any size, or a zero
* the '''instruction table''', or just "table", containing execution instructions; the exact [[Instruction set architecture|instruction set]] varies depending on the author; common instructions include: increment, decrement, clear to zero, copy, conditional jump, halt; other instructions are unnecessary because they can be created by combinations of instructions from the instruction set
* one special register called the "'''instruction register'''" (IR); this register points to the instruction being executed in the instruction table 
For a description of a similar concept, but humorous, see the esoteric programming language [[Brainfuck]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Érdi |first=Gergő |date=6 September 2010 |title=From Register Machines to Brainfuck, part 1 |url=https://erdi.dev/blog/2010-09-06-from_register_machines_to_brainfuck,_part_1/ |access-date=2024-02-07}}</ref>