What characterizes a Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC)?

A Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) is characterized specifically by having a reduced set of simpler instructions. The primary design philosophy behind RISC is to simplify the instruction set so that each instruction can be executed in a single clock cycle, which optimizes performance through higher instruction throughput. This simplification often allows for more efficient use of the processor's resources, as fewer cycles are needed to execute common operations, and it tends to lead to a more straightforward pipeline architecture.

By contrast, complex instruction sets can introduce significant overhead, as they typically require multiple clock cycles to execute certain instructions, leading to potential bottlenecks and more complicated handling in the CPU design. RISC architecture focuses on maximizing the efficiency of executing a limited number of basic instructions, which can be combined to perform more complex tasks by the compiler or during execution.