Compare and swap unprivileged
This instruction reads a 64-bit doubleword from memory, and compares it against the value held in a first register. If the comparison is equal, the value in a second register is written to memory. If the comparison is not equal, the architecture permits writing the value read from the location to memory. If the write is performed, the read and write occur atomically such that no other modification of the memory location can take place between the read and write.
The architecture permits that the data read clears any exclusive monitors associated with that location, even if the compare subsequently fails.
If the instruction generates a synchronous Data Abort, the register which is compared and loaded, that is <Xs>, is restored to the value held in the register before the instruction was executed.
Explicit Memory effects produced by the instruction behave as if the instruction was executed at EL0 if the Effective value of PSTATE.UAO is 0 and either:
Otherwise, the Explicit Memory effects operate with the restrictions determined by the Exception level at which the instruction is executed.
For a CAST or CASAT instruction, when <Ws> or <Xs> specifies the same register as <Wt> or <Xt>, this signals to the memory system that an additional subsequent CAST, CASAT, CASALT, or CASLT access to the specified location is expected to occur in the near future in the absence of taking an exception or exceptional software conditions. The memory system can respond by taking actions that are expected to enable the subsequent CAST, CASAT, CASALT, or CASLT access to succeed when it does occur.
A code sequence starting with a CAST or CASAT instruction for which <Ws> or <Xs> specifies the same register as <Wt> or <Xt>, and ending with a subsequent CAST, CASAT, CASALT, or CASLT to the same location, exhibits the following properties for best performance when the location may be accessed concurrently, on one or more other PEs:
For a CAST or CASAT instruction, when <Ws> or <Xs> specifies the same register as <Wt> or <Xt>, the value in memory is not modified, because the CAST or CASAT either fails its compare or writes the same value back to memory.
For performance reasons, Arm recommends that software not use a CAST or CASAT instruction when <Ws> or <Xs> specifies the same register as <Wt> or <Xt> in a routine that includes a subsequent CAST, CASAT, CASALT, or CASLT for any of the following purposes:
This guidance does not apply when <Ws> or <Xs> specifies the same register as <Wt> or <Xt> for a CAST or CASAT instruction and the compare between the CAST or CASAT and the subsequent CAST, CASAT, CASALT, or CASLT is intended to detect an exceptional software condition such that the result of the compare does not prevent the subsequent CAST, CASAT, CASALT, or CASLT from executing under normal operating conditions.
For more information about memory ordering semantics, see Load-Acquire, Store-Release.
For information about addressing modes, see Load/Store addressing modes.
| 31 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | L | 0 | Rs | o0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Rn | Rt | ||||||||||||
| sz | Rt2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
if !IsFeatureImplemented(FEAT_LSUI) then EndOfDecode(Decode_UNDEF); end; let s : integer{} = UInt(Rs); let t : integer{} = UInt(Rt); let n : integer{} = UInt(Rn); let acquire : boolean = L == '1' && s != 31; let release : boolean = o0 == '1'; let tagchecked : boolean = n != 31;
| <Xs> |
Is the 64-bit name of the general-purpose register to be compared and loaded, encoded in the "Rs" field. |
| <Xt> |
Is the 64-bit name of the general-purpose register to be conditionally stored, encoded in the "Rt" field. |
| <Xn|SP> |
Is the 64-bit name of the general-purpose base register or stack pointer, encoded in the "Rn" field. |
var address : bits(64); var comparevalue : bits(64); var newvalue : bits(64); let privileged : boolean = AArch64_IsUnprivAccessPriv(); let accdesc : AccessDescriptor = CreateAccDescAtomicOp(MemAtomicOp_CAS, acquire, release, tagchecked, privileged, t, s); comparevalue = X{64}(s); newvalue = X{64}(t); if n == 31 then CheckSPAlignment(); address = SP{64}(); else address = X{64}(n); end; X{64}(s) = MemAtomic{64}(address, comparevalue, newvalue, accdesc);
2026-03_rel 2026-03-26 20:48:11
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