Chapter 4: Assembly Language Programming – Introduces the 8085 instruction set systematically. The 2014 edition provides up-to-date syntax for assemblers like GNUSim8085 and ASM85.
Chapters 5-7: Programming Techniques – These chapters are gold. Gaonkar covers:
Chapter 8: Counter and Time Delay – Detailed calculation of delay using NOP and register pairs. The 2014 edition includes logic analyzer timing diagrams.
Chapter 9: Stack and Subroutines – Explains the LIFO structure, stack pointer initialization, and parameter passing. Chapter 4: Assembly Language Programming – Introduces the
| Audience | Value | | :--- | :--- | | Undergraduate EE/ECE/CS students | Your curriculum likely requires it. It's perfect for exam prep (timing diagrams, interfacing questions). | | Hobbyists building retro computers | Want to build an 8085 single-board computer? Gaonkar gives you the schematic and the monitor program (hex keypad + 7-seg display). | | Self-learners of assembly | Unlike x86 assembly (which is massive), 8085 has just 72 instructions. You can master the entire ISA in a week using this book. | | Teachers | The 2014 edition includes (with instructor access) PowerPoint slides and lab manuals. |
If you are self-studying, do not just read it. Follow this method:
No book is perfect, and Gaonkar’s 2014 edition has a few noted drawbacks: Chapter 8: Counter and Time Delay – Detailed
Despite these, the consensus on engineering forums (Quora, Reddit’s r/embedded, StackExchange) is that Gaonkar’s 2014 edition is the single best 8085 reference ever published.
Chapter 10-12: Interfacing Concepts – Gaonkar shines here. He explains:
Chapter 13: Interrupts – A deep dive into the 8085’s five interrupts (TRAP, RST 7.5, RST 6.5, RST 5.5, INTR). The 2014 edition includes modern equivalents like vectored interrupt controllers. Despite these, the consensus on engineering forums (Quora,
Chapter 14: Peripheral Interfacing – Practical examples with real chips:
The programming section is legendary. It starts with simple data transfer and moves to:
Classic Gaonkar Example: Generating a precise 1 ms delay using a nested loop. He doesn't just give you the code; he shows you how to calculate the exact T-states and multiply by the clock period.