Reference for x86 instructions by functionality

Question

I am looking for a reference on the "evolution" of x86 instruction set. Mainly, which newer commands make older commands redundant and unusable and a breakdown of the instruction according to their functionality and not to the time/processor they were added at.

Also, is there a reference talking about the usage percentage of x86 commands in recent years software development (meaning, which commands are no longer used in modern day programs)?

Answer 1

That sounds more like a research question than a programming question.

Your best bet is to go to, say, the Wikipedia article that lists the x86 instructions for the processors in the lineage, figure out what each instruction does and categorise them according to functionality.

As for trends in the use of instructions, no idea. It's a rather loaded question. It's not much different than asking, "which english words are more common in modern day usage?" Which instructions are used depends on the application.