What does the Program Counter keep track of?

The Program Counter (PC) is a crucial component of a CPU that specifically tracks the address of the next instruction to be executed in a program. Its primary function is to ensure that the execution proceeds in the correct sequence. After an instruction is fetched from memory, the Program Counter is incremented to point to the subsequent instruction, facilitating a seamless flow of execution through the program's instructions.

Understanding that the PC holds the address is key to comprehending how program execution works. Without the Program Counter, the CPU would not know where to go next after executing an instruction, which could cause the program to behave unpredictably or crash. Therefore, the focus on the next instruction's address underscores the PC's role in maintaining program flow and ensuring the correct sequence of operations.