SPIM: A MIPS32 Simulator

James Larus
spim@larusstone.org

 

Contents

Spim is a self-contained simulator that runs MIPS32 programs. It reads and executes assembly language programs written for this processor. Spim also provides a simple debugger and minimal set of operating system services. Spim does not execute binary (compiled) programs.

Spim implements almost the entire MIPS32 assembler-extended instruction set. (It omits most floating point comparisons and rounding modes and the memory system page tables.) The MIPS architecture has several variants that differ in various ways (e.g., the MIPS64 architecture supports 64-bit integers and addresses), which means that Spim will not run programs for all MIPS processors.

Spim implements both a terminal and windows interfaces. On Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X, the spim program offers a simple terminal interface and the QtSpim program provides the windowing interface. The older programs xspim and PCSpim provide native window interfaces for these systems as well.

Spim comes with complete source code and documentation.

Spim is no longer supported. The code has been stable for many years, with a few occasional bugs. But, as I reach retirement, it is clear to me that Spim should retire as well. Feel free to fork a copy and fix the bugs yourself!

Download SPIM


QtSpim

The newest version of Spim is called QtSpim, and unlike all of the other version, it runs on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux—the same source code and the same user interface on all three platforms! QtSpim is the version of Spim that currently being maintaned. The other versions are still available, but are no longer maintained or updated.

A compiled, immediately installable version of QtSpim is available for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux can be downloaded from: https://sourceforge.net/projects/spimsimulator/files/. Full source code is also available (to compile QtSpim, you need the Qt framework, a very nice cross-platform UI framework that can be downloaded from http://qt-project.org/downloads).


Copyright

Spim is copyrighted by James Larus and distributed under a BSD license.

Copyright (c) 1990-2023, James R. Larus. All rights reserved.

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

The DOS and Windows ports were done by David A. Carley and are copyrighted in part by Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.