According to Adafruit Blog, the STEPLA-1 is a fully functional eight-bit CPU where every component—registers, decoders, ALU, control unit—is built from individual 74-series logic gates. Unlike designs that hide complexity in black boxes, STEPLA-1 uses a hardwired control unit that lets you trace every signal path. It's released under an open MIT license, making it an ideal learning tool for anyone who wants to understand how CPUs actually work at the gate level.

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