Computer instructions are normally executed sequentially. Sequence control instructions transfer execution to a different place in the program. They are used for implementing control structures, such as if statements and while statements, and subprograms.

There are two types of sequence control instructions.

• Branch instructions transfer execution to a nearby instruction. They are normally used for control structures.
• Jump instructions transfer execution to a distant instruction. They are often used for subprograms.

Branch Instructions

Instruction		Operation
b	label	branch to label unconditionally
beq	Rs1, Rcs2, label	branch to label if Rs1 == Rcs2
ble	Rs1, Rcs2, label	branch to label if Rs1 <= Rcs2
blt	Rs1, Rcs2, label	branch to label if Rs1 < Rcs2
bge	Rs1, Rcs2, label	branch to label if greater than or equal
bgt	Rs1, Rcs2, label	branch to label if Rs1 > Rcs2
bne	Rs1, Rcs2, label	branch to label Rs1 != Rcs2
beqz	Rs, label	branch to label if Rs == 0
blez	Rs, label	branch to label if Rs <= 0
bltz	Rs, label	branch to label if Rs < 0
bgez	Rs, label	branch to label if Rs >= 0
bgtz	Rs, label	branch to label if Rs > 0
bnez	Rs, label	branch to label if Rs != 0
bleu	Rs1, Rcs2, label	branch to label if Rs1 <= Rcs2 unsigned
bltu	Rs1, Rcs2, label	branch to label if Rs1 < Rcs2 unsigned
bgeu	Rs1, Rcs2, label	branch to label if Rs1 >= Rcs2 unsigned
bgtu	Rs1, Rcs2, label	branch to label if Rs1 > Rcs2 unsigned
bltzal	Rs, label	branch to label if Rs < 0 and link
bgezal	Rs, label	branch to label if Rs >= 0 and link
bc1t	label	branch to label if the FP coprocessor flag is true
bc1f	label	branch to label if the FP coprocessor flag is false

The bltzal and bgezal instructions save the address of the following instruction in $ra. They can be used for conditional subprogram calls.

The bc1t and bc1f instructions test the floating point coprocessor flag, which is set or cleared by floating point compare instructions.

Integer Conditional Branch Instructions

Instruction		Operation
b	label	branch to label unconditionally
beq	Rs1, Rcs2, label	branch to label if Rs1 == Rcs2
ble	Rs1, Rcs2, label	branch to label if Rs1 <= Rcs2
blt	Rs1, Rcs2, label	branch to label if Rs1 < Rcs2
bge	Rs1, Rcs2, label	branch to label if Rs1 >= Rcs2
bgt	Rs1, Rcs2, label	branch to label if Rs1 > Rcs2
bne	Rs1, Rcs2, label	branch to label if Rs1 != Rcs2
beqz	Rs, label	branch to label if Rs == 0
blez	Rs, label	branch to label if Rs <= 0
bltz	Rs, label	branch to label if Rs < 0
bgez	Rs, label	branch to label if Rs >= 0
bgtz	Rs, label	branch to label if Rs > 0
bnez	Rs, label	branch to label if Rs != 0

Jump Instructions

Instruction		Operation
j	addr	unconditional jump
jr	Rtarg	unconditional jump
jal	addr	subprogram call
jalr	Rsave, Rtarg	subprogram call

R_targ indicates a register that contains the target address of a register jump. Subprogram returns are accomplished by using $ra for R_targ.

R_save indicates a register that receives the return address of a jalr instruction. This operand is optional. If it is omitted $ra receives the return address.