In computer engineering, a load–store unit (LSU) is a specialized execution unit responsible for executing all load and store instructions, generating virtual addresses of load and store operations[1][2][3] and loading data from memory or storing it back to memory from registers.
[4] The load–store unit usually includes a queue which acts as a waiting area for memory instructions, and the unit itself operates independently of other processor units.
[4] Load–store units may also be used in vector processing, and in such cases the term "load–store vector" may be used.
[5] Some load–store units are also capable of executing simple fixed-point and/or integer operations.