In some systems it can be considered similar to the L1 cache in that it is the next closest memory to the ALU after the processor registers, with explicit instructions to move data to and from main memory, often using DMA-based data transfer. When the scratchpad is a hidden portion of the main memory then it is sometimes referred to as bump storage.

It is similar to the usage and size of a scratchpad in life: a pad of paper for preliminary notes or sketches or writings, etc. In reference to a microprocessor (or CPU), scratchpad refers to a special high-speed memory used to hold small items of data for rapid retrieval. Scratchpad memory ( SPM), also known as scratchpad, scratchpad RAM or local store in computer terminology, is an internal memory, usually high-speed, used for temporary storage of calculations, data, and other work in progress.

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