Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide: Design Recommendations

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Date 8/03/2023
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Document Table of Contents
Document Table of Contents x
1. Recommended HDL Coding Styles 2. Recommended Design Practices 3. Managing Metastability with the Intel® Quartus® Prime Software 4. Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide: Design Recommendations Archive A. Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guides
1. Recommended HDL Coding Styles x
1.1. Using Provided HDL Templates 1.2. Instantiating IP Cores in HDL 1.3. Inferring Multipliers and DSP Functions 1.4. Inferring Memory Functions from HDL Code 1.5. Register and Latch Coding Guidelines 1.6. General Coding Guidelines 1.7. Designing with Low-Level Primitives 1.8. Cross-Module Referencing (XMR) in HDL Code 1.9. Using force Statements in HDL Code 1.10. Recommended HDL Coding Styles Revision History
1.1. Using Provided HDL Templates x
1.1.1. Inserting HDL Code from a Provided Template
1.3. Inferring Multipliers and DSP Functions x
1.3.1. Inferring Multipliers 1.3.2. Inferring Multiply-Accumulator and Multiply-Adder Functions
1.4. Inferring Memory Functions from HDL Code x
1.4.1. Inferring RAM functions from HDL Code 1.4.2. Inferring ROM Functions from HDL Code 1.4.3. Inferring Shift Registers in HDL Code 1.4.4. Inferring FIFOs in HDL Code
1.4.1. Inferring RAM functions from HDL Code x
1.4.1.1. Use Synchronous Memory Blocks 1.4.1.2. Avoid Unsupported Reset and Control Conditions 1.4.1.3. Check Read-During-Write Behavior 1.4.1.4. Controlling RAM Inference and Implementation 1.4.1.5. Single-Clock Synchronous RAM with Old Data Read-During-Write Behavior 1.4.1.6. Single-Clock Synchronous RAM with New Data Read-During-Write Behavior 1.4.1.7. Simple Dual-Port, Dual-Clock Synchronous RAM 1.4.1.8. True Dual-Port Synchronous RAM 1.4.1.9. Mixed-Width Dual-Port RAM 1.4.1.10. RAM with Byte-Enable Signals 1.4.1.11. Specifying Initial Memory Contents at Power-Up
1.4.3. Inferring Shift Registers in HDL Code x
1.4.3.1. Simple Shift Register 1.4.3.2. Shift Register with Evenly Spaced Taps
1.4.4. Inferring FIFOs in HDL Code x
1.4.4.1. Dual Clock FIFO Example in Verilog HDL 1.4.4.2. Dual Clock FIFO Timing Constraints
1.5. Register and Latch Coding Guidelines x
1.5.1. Register Power-Up Values 1.5.2. Secondary Register Control Signals Such as Clear and Clock Enable 1.5.3. Latches
1.5.1. Register Power-Up Values x
1.5.1.1. Specifying a Power-Up Value
1.5.3. Latches x
1.5.3.1. Avoid Unintentional Latch Generation 1.5.3.2. Inferring Latches Correctly
1.6. General Coding Guidelines x
1.6.1. Tri-State Signals 1.6.2. Clock Multiplexing 1.6.3. Adder Trees 1.6.4. State Machine HDL Guidelines 1.6.5. Multiplexer HDL Guidelines 1.6.6. Cyclic Redundancy Check Functions 1.6.7. Comparator HDL Guidelines 1.6.8. Counter HDL Guidelines
1.6.3. Adder Trees x
1.6.3.1. Architectures with 6-Input LUTs in Adaptive Logic Modules 1.6.3.2. Change Adder Tree Styles
1.6.4. State Machine HDL Guidelines x
1.6.4.1. State Machine Power-Up 1.6.4.2. Verilog HDL State Machines 1.6.4.3. VHDL State Machines
1.6.4.2. Verilog HDL State Machines x
1.6.4.2.1. Verilog-2001 State Machine Coding Example 1.6.4.2.2. SystemVerilog State Machine Coding Example
1.6.4.3. VHDL State Machines x
1.6.4.3.1. VHDL State Machine Coding Example
1.6.5. Multiplexer HDL Guidelines x
1.6.5.1. Intel® Quartus® Prime Software Option for Multiplexer Restructuring 1.6.5.2. Multiplexer Types 1.6.5.3. Implicit Defaults in IF Statements 1.6.5.4. default or OTHERS CASE Assignment
1.6.5.2. Multiplexer Types x
1.6.5.2.1. Binary Multiplexers 1.6.5.2.2. Selector Multiplexers 1.6.5.2.3. Priority Multiplexers
1.6.6. Cyclic Redundancy Check Functions x
1.6.6.1. If Performance is Important, Optimize for Speed 1.6.6.2. Use Separate CRC Blocks Instead of Cascaded Stages 1.6.6.3. Use Separate CRC Blocks Instead of Allowing Blocks to Merge 1.6.6.4. Take Advantage of Latency if Available 1.6.6.5. Save Power by Disabling CRC Blocks When Not in Use 1.6.6.6. Initialize the Device with the Synchronous Load (sload) Signal
2. Recommended Design Practices x
2.1. Following Synchronous FPGA Design Practices 2.2. HDL Design Guidelines 2.3. Use Clock and Register-Control Architectural Features 2.4. Implementing Embedded RAM 2.5. Design Assistant Design Rule Checking 2.6. Recommended Design Practices Revision History
2.1. Following Synchronous FPGA Design Practices x
2.1.1. Implementing Synchronous Designs 2.1.2. Asynchronous Design Hazards
2.2. HDL Design Guidelines x
2.2.1. Considerations for the Intel® Hyperflex™ FPGA Architecture 2.2.2. Optimizing Combinational Logic 2.2.3. Optimizing Clocking Schemes 2.2.4. Optimizing Physical Implementation and Timing Closure 2.2.5. Optimizing Power Consumption 2.2.6. Managing Design Metastability
2.2.2. Optimizing Combinational Logic x
2.2.2.1. Avoid Combinational Loops 2.2.2.2. Avoid Unintended Latch Inference 2.2.2.3. Avoid Delay Chains in Clock Paths 2.2.2.4. Use Synchronous Pulse Generators
2.2.3. Optimizing Clocking Schemes x
2.2.3.1. Register Combinational Logic Outputs 2.2.3.2. Avoid Asynchronous Clock Division 2.2.3.3. Avoid Ripple Counters 2.2.3.4. Use Multiplexed Clocks 2.2.3.5. Use Gated Clocks 2.2.3.6. Use Synchronous Clock Enables
2.2.3.5. Use Gated Clocks x
2.2.3.5.1. Recommended Clock-Gating Methods
2.2.4. Optimizing Physical Implementation and Timing Closure x
2.2.4.1. Planning Physical Implementation 2.2.4.2. Planning FPGA Resources 2.2.4.3. Optimizing for Timing Closure 2.2.4.4. Optimizing Critical Timing Paths
2.3. Use Clock and Register-Control Architectural Features x
2.3.1. Use Global Reset Resources 2.3.2. Use Global Clock Network Resources 2.3.3. Use Clock Region Assignments to Optimize Clock Constraints 2.3.4. Avoid Asynchronous Register Control Signals
2.3.1. Use Global Reset Resources x
2.3.1.1. Use Synchronous Resets 2.3.1.2. Using Asynchronous Resets 2.3.1.3. Use Synchronized Asynchronous Reset
2.3.3. Use Clock Region Assignments to Optimize Clock Constraints x
2.3.3.1. Clock Region Assignments in Intel® Stratix® 10 Devices 2.3.3.2. Clock Region Assignments in Intel® Arria® 10 and Older Device Families
2.5. Design Assistant Design Rule Checking x
2.5.1. Setting Up Design Assistant 2.5.2. Running Design Assistant During Compilation 2.5.3. Running Design Assistant in Analysis Mode 2.5.4. Cross-Probing from Design Assistant 2.5.5. Managing Design Assistant Rules 2.5.6. Design Assistant Rule Categories
2.5.1. Setting Up Design Assistant x
2.5.1.1. Design Assistant Rule Severity Levels
2.5.2. Running Design Assistant During Compilation x
2.5.2.1. Opening Design Assistant Rule Help
2.5.3. Running Design Assistant in Analysis Mode x
2.5.3.1. Launching Design Assistant from Chip Planner 2.5.3.2. Launching Design Assistant from Timing Analyzer
2.5.4. Cross-Probing from Design Assistant x
2.5.4.1. Cross-Probing from Design Assistant to Timing Analyzer 2.5.4.2. Cross-Probing from Design Assistant to Visualization Tools
2.5.5. Managing Design Assistant Rules x
2.5.5.1. Changing the Default Number of Violations per Rule 2.5.5.2. Enabling Rules for Specific Compiler Stages 2.5.5.3. Specifying Rule Parameters for a Specific Compiler Stage 2.5.5.4. Modifying Rule Severity Levels 2.5.5.5. Waiving Design Assistant Rules 2.5.5.6. Design Assistant Tags
2.5.5.5. Waiving Design Assistant Rules x
2.5.5.5.1. Creating Design Assistant Waivers 2.5.5.5.2. Design Assistant Waiver Dialog Box 2.5.5.5.3. Deleting Design Assistant Waivers 2.5.5.5.4. Design Assistant Waiver Tcl Commands 2.5.5.5.5. drc::add_waiver Command 2.5.5.5.6. drc::get_waivers Command 2.5.5.5.7. drc::report_waivers Command
3. Managing Metastability with the Intel® Quartus® Prime Software x
3.1. Metastability Analysis in the Intel® Quartus® Prime Software 3.2. Metastability and MTBF Reporting 3.3. MTBF Optimization 3.4. Reducing Metastability Effects 3.5. Scripting Support 3.6. Managing Metastability 3.7. Managing Metastability with the Intel® Quartus® Prime Software Revision History
3.1. Metastability Analysis in the Intel® Quartus® Prime Software x
3.1.1. Data Synchronization Register Chains 3.1.2. Identify Synchronizers for Metastability Analysis 3.1.3. How Timing Constraints Affect Synchronizer Identification and Metastability Analysis
3.2. Metastability and MTBF Reporting x
3.2.1. Metastability Reports 3.2.2. Synchronizer Data Toggle Rate in MTBF Calculation
3.2.1. Metastability Reports x
3.2.1.1. MTBF Summary Report 3.2.1.2. Synchronizer Summary Report 3.2.1.3. Synchronizer Chain Statistics Report in the Timing Analyzer
3.2.1.1. MTBF Summary Report x
3.2.1.1.1. Typical and Worst-Case MTBF of Design 3.2.1.1.2. Synchronizer Chains 3.2.1.1.3. Increasing Available Settling Time
3.3. MTBF Optimization x
3.3.1. Synchronization Register Chain Length
3.4. Reducing Metastability Effects x
3.4.1. Apply Complete System-Centric Timing Constraints for the Timing Analyzer 3.4.2. Force the Identification of Synchronization Registers 3.4.3. Set the Synchronizer Data Toggle Rate 3.4.4. Optimize Metastability During Fitting 3.4.5. Increase the Length of Synchronizers to Protect and Optimize 3.4.6. Increase the Number of Stages Used in Synchronizers 3.4.7. Select a Faster Speed Grade Device
3.5. Scripting Support x
3.5.1. Identifying Synchronizers for Metastability Analysis 3.5.2. Synchronizer Data Toggle Rate in MTBF Calculation 3.5.3. report_metastability and Tcl Command 3.5.4. MTBF Optimization 3.5.5. Synchronization Register Chain Length
1. Recommended HDL Coding Styles
2. Recommended Design Practices
3. Managing Metastability with the Intel® Quartus® Prime Software
4. Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide: Design Recommendations Archive
A. Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guides

1.10. Recommended HDL Coding Styles Revision History

The following revisions history applies to this chapter:

Document Version Intel® Quartus® Prime Version Changes
2023.10.02 23.1
  • Made minor updates to code snippets in Using force Statements in HDL Code and Cross-Module Referencing (XMR) in HDL Code.
2023.04.03 23.1
  • Updated product family name to "Intel Agilex 7."
2022.09.26 22.3
  • Added Using force Statements in HDL Code.
  • Added Cross-Module Referencing (XMR) in HDL Code.
2021.10.04 21.3
  • Added new Inferring FIFOs in HDL Code topic and linked to FIFO Intel FPGA IP User Guide.
  • Added new Dual Clock FIFO Example in Verilog HDL topic.
  • Added new Dual Clock FIFO Timing Constraints topic.
2021.06.21 21.2
  • Updated Inferring Shift Registers in HDL Code for Intel® Stratix® 10 and Intel® Agilex™ 7 devices.
  • Updated wording of Controlling RAM Inference and Implementation for clarity.
2019.09.30 19.3
  • Updated Simple Dual-Port Synchronous RAM with Byte Enable examples.
  • Updated True Dual-Port Synchronous RAM examples.
  • Updated Verilog HDL Single-Bit Wide Shift Register example from 64 to 69 bits.
  • Updated VHDL Single-Bit Wide Shift Register example from 67 to 69 bits.
  • Updated Verilog HDL 8-Bit Wide Shift Register with Evenly Spaced Taps from 64 to 254 bits.
2018.09.24 18.1
  • Added "State Machine Power-Up" topic.
  • Updated "Designing with Low-Level Primitives" to remove support for carry and cascade chains using CARRY, CARRY_SUM, and CASCADE primitives.
  • Renamed topic: "Use the Device Synchronous Load (sload) Signal to Initialize" to "Initialize the Device with the Synchronous Load (sload) Signal"
2017.11.06 17.1
  • Described new no_ram synthesis attribute.
2017.05.08 17.0
  • Updated example: Verilog HDL Multiply-Accumulator
  • Updated information about use of safe state machine.
  • Revised Check Read-During-Write Behavior.
  • Revised Controlling RAM Inference and Implementation.
  • Revised Single-Clock Synchronous RAM with Old Data Read-During-Write Behavior.
  • Revised Single-Clock Synchronous RAM with New Data Read-During-Write Behavior.
  • Updated and moved template for VHDL Single-Clock Simple Dual Port Synchronous RAM with New Data Read-During-Write Behavior.
  • Revised Inferring ROM Functions from HDL Code.
  • Removed example: VHDL 8-Bit Wide, 64-Bit Long Shift Register with Evenly Spaced Taps.
  • Removed example: Verilog HDL D-Type Flipflop (Register) With ena, aclr, and aload Control Signals
  • Removed example: VHDL D-Type Flipflop (Register) With ena, aclr, and aload Control Signals
  • Added example: Verilog D-type Flipflop bus with Secondary Signals
  • Removed references to 4-input LUT-based devices.
  • Removed references to Integrated Synthesis.
  • Created example: Avoid this VHDL Coding Style.
2016.10.31 16.1
  • Provided corrected Verilog HDL Pipelined Binary Tree and Ternary Tree examples.
  • Implemented Intel rebranding.
2016.05.03 16.0
  • Added information about use of safe state machine.
  • Updated example code templates with latest coding styles.
2015.11.02 15.1
  • Changed instances of Quartus II to Intel® Quartus® Prime .
2015.05.04 15.0 Added information and reference about ramstyle attribute for sift register inference.
2014.12.15 14.1 Updated location of Fitter Settings, Analysis & Synthesis Settings, and Physical Optimization Settings to Compiler Settings.
2014.08.18 14.0.a10
  • Added recommendation to use register pipelining to obtain high performance in DSP designs.
2014.06.30 14.0 Removed obsolete MegaWizard Plug-In Manager support.
November 2013 13.1 Removed HardCopy device support.
June 2012 12.0
  • Revised section on inserting Altera templates.
  • Code update for Example 11-51.
  • Minor corrections and updates.
November 2011 11.1
  • Updated document template.
  • Minor updates and corrections.
December 2010 10.1
  • Changed to new document template.
  • Updated Unintentional Latch Generation content.
  • Code update for Example 11-18.
July 2010 10.0
  • Added support for mixed-width RAM
  • Updated support for no_rw_check for inferring RAM blocks
  • Added support for byte-enable
November 2009 9.1
  • Updated support for Controlling Inference and Implementation in Device RAM Blocks
  • Updated support for Shift Registers
March 2009 9.0
  • Corrected and updated several examples
  • Added support for Arria II GX devices
  • Other minor changes to chapter
November 2008 8.1 Changed to 8-1/2 x 11 page size. No change to content.
May 2008 8.0

Updates for the Intel® Quartus® Prime software version 8.0 release, including:

  • Added information to “RAM
  • Functions—Inferring ALTSYNCRAM and ALTDPRAM Megafunctions from HDL Code” on page 6–13
  • Added information to “Avoid Unsupported Reset and Control Conditions” on page 6–14
  • Added information to “Check Read‑During‑Write Behavior” on page 6–16
  • Added two new examples to “ROM Functions—Inferring ALTSYNCRAM and LPM_ROM Megafunctions from HDL Code” on page 6–28: Example 6–24 and Example 6–25
  • Added new section: “Clock Multiplexing” on page 6–46
  • Added hyperlinks to references within the chapter
  • Minor editorial updates
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