hard logic function Definition

A logic function in a design file that is not removed during standard logic synthesis and therefore can be assigned to a physical resource such as a specific device, pin, logic cell, or I/O cell.

In Block Design Files (.bdf) and AHDL, VHDL, and Verilog HDL files, hard logic primitives/ports include INPUT, OUTPUT, BIDIR, LCELL, DFF, DFFE, TFF, TFFE, JKFF, JKFFE, SRFF, SRFFE, LATCH and their equivalents. However, INPUT primitives that do not affect project outputs are not considered to be hard logic functions. When SOFT, TRI, and OPNDRN primitives are not removed during logic synthesis, they are also hard logic primitives. A Intel^® FPGA IP or macrofunction that contains a hard logic primitive is considered to be a hard logic function.