srikanthrad
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i686 vs x86_64?
What is the difference between i686 vs x86_64?
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Thank you.
The details of the i686 architecture are explained in more detailed. Essentially, the i686 instruction set goes back to the architecture of the "sixth generation" processors, the Pentium Pro. (Yup, it is that old!) After that the instruction set was mostly extended with extensions, such as the SSE instructions and MMX instruction.
Intel tried to go to 64-bit with Itanium, which was not backward compatible with the i686 type processors. AMD instead went with x86_64, which was backward compatible. This is one battle that went to AMD, in the end Intel also took the x86_64 extension to 64 bit, since it was far more successful. Remember, everyone was still using 32-bit operating systems at that time. Please note this is a very (very!) simplified version of what happened.
So, when you want to program for any of the current lines of processors in 32-bit mode, you use i686. If you want 64-bit code, you use the x86_64.