title: What is the difference between la and li in opcodes in MIPS?
body: <p>For example in this code :</p>
  <pre><code>#display message
  li $v0, 4
  la $a0, Message
  
  
  #promt user to enter name
  li $v0, 8 
  la $10, username
  li $a1, 20
  syscall
  
  #display the name
  li $v0, 4
  la $a0, userName
  syscall
  </code></pre>
  <p>I am very confused about what <code>li</code> (load immediate) and <code>la</code> (load address) really mean.</p>