Bob Zeidman
Zeidman Consulting

Hardware Description Languages use statements, like programming language statements, in order to define, simulate, synthesize, and layout hardware. The two main HDLs are Verilog and VHDL. There are other, limited capability, languages such as ABEL, CUPL, and PALASM that are tailored specifically for designing PALs and CPLDs. They are not robust enough to cover the complexity required for most FPGAs and ASICs. However, both Verilog and VHDL can be used to design anything from the most complex ASIC to the least complex PAL. This paper will use examples in Verilog, and will focus on that language, but the general attributes of that language can be ascribed also to VHDL.