What is instruction list?

An instruction list, more commonly known as a program, is a sequence of instructions that a computer executes to perform a specific task. These instructions can be written in various programming languages and are typically stored in a file or memory. The computer's central processing unit (CPU) fetches and executes these instructions one by one, performing operations such as arithmetic calculations, data manipulation, and control flow (e.g., branching and looping). Instruction lists are fundamental to all software applications, from simple scripts to complex operating systems.