This chapter explains how to use the Microsoft C/C++ inline assembler. Assembly language serves many purposes, such as improving program speed, reducing memory needs, and controlling hardware. The inline assembler lets you embed assembly-language instructions directly in your C and C++ source programs without extra assembly and link steps. The inline assembler is built into the compiler—you don't need a separate assembler such as the Microsoft Macro Assembler (MASM). For more information on the interaction between C and assembly language, see Chapter 11, “Programming with Mixed Languages.”