The IDA Pro Book, 2nd Edition

Chapter 19. IDA Processor Modules

The last type of IDA modules that can be built with the SDK are processor modules, which are by far the most complex of IDA’s module types. Processor modules are responsible for all of the disassembly operations that take place within IDA. Beyond the obvious conversion of machine language opcodes into their assembly language equivalents, processor modules are also responsible for tasks such as creating functions, generating cross-references, and tracking the behavior of the stack pointer. As it has done with plug-ins and loaders, Hex-Rays has made it possible (beginning with IDA 5.7) to author processor modules ...