Hardware Descriptive Languages (HDLs)
HDLs. They might seem a daunting prospect at first look, but, once mastered, they are powerful tools for Hardware Design. A Hardware Descriptive Language, is a special kind of programming language used to describe the functioning of a hardware design. They can be used to describe everything from simple embedded system designs, to complete x64 CPU designs. While a normal, software programming language essentially contains a list of instructions that a computer has to carry out, a HDL works by describing an algorithm that a piece of hardware has to be able to carry out. A clever compiler then 'translates' this into an actual combination of logic gates which can carry out the algorithm. HDLs can be used to program FPGAs (post coming soon on them, and how they work), as well as ASIC solutions (permanent hardware set ups, like CPUs and SoCs). Let's find out a little more about them then shall we? The options: There are a few different options of HDL. The two most well used are ...