This project introduces a Python framework to (1) manage the files of an embedded hardware/software (HW/SW) codesign project and (2) generate the Verilog code of the hardware components. The flow uses only open-source tools.
An embedded HW/SW project requires that various source files be conveniently organized in a directory tree so that the various EDA tools can run. Typically, makefiles and different scripting languages are employed to drive these tools, which is often a barrier for new developers. The Python framework raises developer accessibility by providing a single cockpit for the design process.
Hardware Design Languages such as Verilog and VHDL give a lot of flexibility to users. Still, the industry imposes strict linting rules that reverse this flexibility, allowing only a small subset of these languages that ensure sound FPGAs and ASIC designs. Writing HDL code in a lint-friendly fashion is tedious and error-prone.
Py2HWSW solves this problem by generating lint-friendly and portable Verilog code that can be ported seamlessly between FPGA and ASIC flows.
Py2HWSW runs on a Nix shell. First, download and install nix-shell.
Py2HWSW will self-install when nix-shell is run in a directory that contains the py2hwsw default.nix file. All dependencies will also be installed.
Alternatively, it is possible but more complex to install Py2HWSW and its dependencies manually. The explanation of the manual installation process is beyond the scope of this README. To do that, check the list of dependencies in the default.nix file and figure out how to install them on your system.
The Py2HWSW framework's leading usage example is IOb-SoC, a System-on-Chip (SoC) template comprising an open-source RISC-V processor, a memory subsystem, and a UART.
Simpler examples, including the submodules used in IOb-SoC, are available in the py2hwsw/lib directory.
A preliminary version of the Py2HWSW user guide can be found here. This user guide is a work in progress and will be updated as the project evolves. It uses LaTeX and can be built with the following command:
make -C py2hwsw/lib doc-buildThis project is funded through NGI Zero Core, a fund established by NLnet with financial support from the European Commission's Next Generation Internet program. Learn more at the NLnet project page.
