Hardware Design

Hardware design is the process of creating electronic components and systems, such as integrated circuits (ICs), printed circuit boards (PCBs), and embedded systems, using principles from electrical engineering and computer science. It involves specifying, designing, and verifying hardware to meet functional, performance, and physical constraints. This field is critical for developing everything from consumer electronics to industrial machinery and computing infrastructure.

Also known as: Digital Design, Electronic Design, Circuit Design, VLSI Design, HW Design

Why learn Hardware Design?

Developers should learn hardware design when working on embedded systems, IoT devices, or performance-critical applications where software interacts directly with hardware, such as in robotics, automotive systems, or custom computing solutions. It enables optimization for power efficiency, real-time processing, and integration with sensors and actuators, making it essential for roles in hardware-software co-design, FPGA programming, or ASIC development.

Learning Resources

• book: Digital Design and Computer Architecture
• course: Coursera: Hardware Description Languages for FPGA Design
• tutorial: Verilog Tutorial by ASIC World
• course: Introduction to Embedded Systems
• docs: EETimes: Hardware Design Resources