The connection between CPUs and device controllers is primarily handled through which component?

The connection between CPUs and device controllers is primarily handled through a bus. A bus is a communication system that transfers data between components inside a computer or between computers. It consists of a set of physical connections (wires, printed circuits) that facilitate the transmission of data and control signals.

In a typical computer architecture, a bus connects the CPU to various device controllers, allowing the CPU to send commands and receive data from peripherals like hard drives, graphic cards, and network interfaces. The bus enables multiple devices to communicate over a shared pathway, reducing the number of physical connections needed and simplifying the architecture.

Other components, such as nodes or links, do not describe the specific hardware mechanism that allows for this type of connection. Channels, while also referring to communication pathways, are typically used in the context of I/O operations that manage data transfers more efficiently, often involving separate control systems to optimize data flow. However, it is the bus that serves as the fundamental means by which the CPU interfaces with device controllers directly.