DEC Opcodes

Reference for DEC computers

Free · In-App Purchases · Designed for iPad. Not verified for macOS.

Ever wanted to know how to write low-level code on a minicomputer or mainframe? This app is also the perfect companion if you have a modern recreation. Dec Opcodes – DEC Architecture Reference Before the microprocessor, there was DEC. The minicomputers built by Digital Equipment Corporation didn't just advance computing - they defined it. Unix was born on a PDP-7. Spacewar! ran on a PDP-1. The VAX powered universities and research labs worldwide for a generation. DecOpcodes puts the complete instruction sets of these legendary machines in your pocket. Five iconic architectures covered: PDP-1 (1960) · PDP-8 (1965) · PDP-10 (1966) · PDP-11 (1970) · VAX (1977) For every instruction:  • Full description of what the instruction does  • Octal and hex encoding  • Flags affected  • Addressing modes, word count, and cycle counts  • Assembly code examples and implementation notes More than just opcodes:  • Complete system specifications and register architecture  • Historical context and cultural impact  • Archival photographs - front panels, system cabinets, and more  • Notable installations and the systems they powered  • Architecture variants and successors Built for exploration:  • Search across all systems instantly  • Filter by instruction category  • Sort alphabetically or by category • Favorite instructions for quick reference Beautifully designed:  • System-specific accent colours  • Five themes including Terminal green and Blinkenlights orange  • Full Dark Mode support From the 18-bit simplicity of the PDP-1 to the 32-bit sophistication of the VAX, DecOpcodes is a fascinating and interactive journey through the machines that made modern computing possible.

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Improved the PDP-1 lessons, and added new PDP-8 lesson. Highlighted notes for users of the PiDP-1 and PiDP-8. Soon you'll be ready to apply for that engineering job you always wanted (in 1960).

The developer, John Kennedy, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

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    Seller
    • John Kennedy
    Size
    • 20.1 MB
    Category
    • Education
    Compatibility
    Requires iOS 18.0 or later.
    • iPhone
      Requires iOS 18.0 or later.
    • iPad
      Requires iPadOS 18.0 or later.
    • Mac
      Requires macOS 15.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later.
    • Apple Vision
      Requires visionOS 2.0 or later.
    Languages
    • English
    Age Rating
    4+
    In-App Purchases
    Yes
    Copyright
    • © 2026 John Kennedy