SystemVerilog

SystemVerilog is a hardware description and verification language (HDVL) that extends Verilog with advanced features for modeling, design, and verification of digital systems and integrated circuits. It combines hardware description capabilities for design with powerful constructs for testbench development, assertion-based verification, and object-oriented programming. It is widely used in the semiconductor industry for ASIC and FPGA development.

Also known as: System Verilog, SV, IEEE 1800, Hardware Verification Language, HDVL

Why learn SystemVerilog?

Developers should learn SystemVerilog when working on digital hardware design, verification, or simulation, particularly in ASIC/FPGA projects, as it provides a unified language for both design and verification tasks. It is essential for roles in electronic design automation (EDA), where its advanced verification features like constrained random testing, functional coverage, and assertions improve productivity and reduce bugs. Use cases include developing complex IP cores, system-on-chip (SoC) verification, and creating reusable testbenches.

Learning Resources

• docs: IEEE 1800-2017 SystemVerilog Language Reference Manual
• book: SystemVerilog for Verification: A Guide to Learning the Testbench Language Features
• course: Coursera: Hardware Description Languages for FPGA Design
• tutorial: EDA Playground - Online SystemVerilog Simulator
• tutorial: SystemVerilog Tutorial on ChipVerify