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Synopsys shows off its powerful Design Compiler 2010, which speeds up both the synthesis and physical implementation flows by a very amazing factor of two. With this tool, RTL planners can look at “what if” floor plans, which helps them find and fix floor plan problems sooner. Synopsys create Compiler, which can be found in the Education & Reference section, is a fast and feature-packed way to create digital chips.
There are five choices that are worth thinking about that can be used on both Linux and Windows. The best of these is Synplify ASIC, which stands out because it is free. Synplify ASIC is a great option for those looking for an RTL synthesis tool that is both cheap and effective. It has features that are designed for ASIC and FPGA designs.
Why Look for Synopsys Design Compiler Alternatives?
In spite of its widespread use, some designers may be interested in finding substitutes for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to financial concerns, particular design constraints, or the requirement for distinct features and functionalities. Investigating other possibilities can result in increased flexibility and possibly improved performance that is better suited to the specific requirements of the project.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Synopsys Design Compiler Alternatives
When looking for options, there are a few important things to keep in mind:
- Performance: The option should be as good or better in terms of how fast it synthesizes and how good the results are.
- Ease of Use: It’s important to have a user-friendly interface and make it easy to fit into current design flows.
- Features: The alternative must support the design languages, libraries, and technology nodes that are needed for the goal design.
- Compatibility: It is important to make sure that the tool works with other design tools and the design environment.
Best Synopsys Design Compiler Alternatives
Digital chip design uses Synopsys Design Compiler for RTL synthesis. It converts RTL code into gate-level representations for efficient semiconductor fabrication. While it’s a popular tool, there are many reasons to explore for alternatives.
Cadence RTL Compiler
Features:
The Cadence RTL Compiler is an effective RTL synthesis tool that, in addition to providing exceptional efficiency, provides results of a high quality. It provides a user-friendly environment for design exploration and supports a variety of design languages, including VHDL and Verilog. These languages are used in the design process. Its appealing alternative status is due to the sophisticated optimization techniques it employs and the efficient hardware mapping it provides.
The Good
- Fast synthesis times
- Excellent quality of results
- Robust optimization algorithms
The Bad
- Higher license costs compared to some alternatives
Synplify ASIC
Features:
Another noteworthy option outside the Design Compiler is Synplify ASIC, which is manufactured by Synopsys. It is particularly effective in the design of ASICs and FPGAs, delivering effective synthesis while placing an emphasis on the reduction of both area and power consumption. The intelligent design exploration capabilities of the tool, in addition to its support for numerous technological nodes, making it a good option for a wide variety of projects.
The Good
- Excellent support for FPGA designs
- Effective area and power optimizations
- Integrates well with industry-standard FPGA flows
The Bad
- Might not be as well-suited for some complex ASIC designs
Blast Create
Features:
Blast Create is a powerful RTL synthesis tool that was developed by Synopsys. Its primary goals are to create designs with excellent performance and low power consumption. It allows both hierarchical and incremental synthesis, and it provides an extensive collection of optimization techniques to choose from. The capabilities of Blast Create’s parallel processing drastically cut down on the amount of time needed for synthesis turnaround.
The Good
- Excellent support for large and complex designs
- Industry-leading low-power synthesis capabilities
- Fast turnaround time for large designs
The Bad
- Higher cost compared to some alternatives
Mentor Graphics Leonardo Spectrum
Features:
Known as Mentor Graphics. Leonardo Spectrum is a robust RTL synthesis tool that can fulfill a variety of design requirements because to its extensive feature set. It offers a broad variety of optimizations and customization options, which designers can take advantage of in order to get the chip performance they want in an effective manner. Because of its user-friendly interface as well as its full reporting capabilities, this app is a dependable option.
The Good
- Flexible and customizable design flow
- Robust optimization algorithms
- Strong language support for design entry
The Bad
- Steeper learning curve for beginners
OAsys
Features:
OAsys is a cutting-edge RTL synthesis tool that is renowned for its high-performance synthesis flow as well as its economical use of resources. It uses novel algorithms that are shown to produce superior outcomes while simultaneously cutting significantly into the required amount of runtime. OAsys was developed to easily manage complicated designs and analyse vast amounts of data. OAsys is an open-source software platform.
The Good
- Faster synthesis times for large designs
- Efficient handling of complex designs
- Memory-friendly operation
The Bad
- Limited support for certain design languages
Questions and Answers
Yes, Cadence RTL Compiler works well with other digital design tools from Cadence to create a smooth design flow.
Yes, Synplify ASIC works with many different ASIC and FPGA technologies, even the newest ones.
Yes, Blast Create is made to work well with big and complicated designs, as it can process them in parallel.