What is a translation lookaside buffer used for?

A translation lookaside buffer (TLB) is a specialized memory cache that is utilized in computer systems to improve the efficiency of virtual memory management. Its primary function is to translate virtual addresses into physical addresses quickly. When a program accesses a memory address, the operating system needs to determine which physical location in RAM corresponds to that virtual address. The TLB stores recent translations of virtual page numbers to physical frame numbers, allowing the system to bypass the slower translation process that involves consulting the page table in memory.

By keeping these translations in the TLB, the system can significantly speed up memory access and reduce latency, as it eliminates the need to perform a page table lookup for every memory access. This is vital for maintaining system performance, especially in applications where speed is crucial.

The other options presented are unrelated to the primary purpose of a translation lookaside buffer, which is dedicated specifically to virtual memory address translation.