Abstract: A reconfigurable chip is described using a reconfigurable functional unit including a shifter unit, arithmetic logic unit and multiplexers. The data path units are interconnected to other data path units. The interconnection is preferably done by transferring word length data. The shifter allows for the word length data to be adjusted for use in the arithmetic logic unit. In a preferred embodiment the reconfigurable functional units are controlled by reconfigurable functional unit instructions. The reconfigurable functional unit instructions preferably are stored in a reconfigurable functional unit instruction memory which is addressed by a state machine on the chip.