What does the Control Unit (CU) in a CPU do?

The Control Unit (CU) in a CPU plays a crucial role in the execution of a program by managing the flow of data within the processor. Specifically, it is responsible for extracting instructions from memory, decoding them to understand what actions are required, and executing those instructions in the correct order. This process ensures that the CPU operates efficiently by coordinating the activities of the various components within the computer system.

While other components in the CPU handle tasks like storage, visual processing, or arithmetic calculations, the CU orchestrates these operations, allowing the computer to function as intended by following the programmed instructions. This central role in instruction execution distinguishes the CU from the elements responsible for data storage or arithmetic functions.