RTL
RTL stands
for Register Transfer Language. It is a coding style to code
Designs, so that a Synthesis
tool may be able to read it and convert it into
'gates' or what is formally called a netlist.
VHDL
and Verilog
are 2 HDL languages used to describe the design in RTL style.
A small RTL code of a counter can be downloaded here.
Not every code written using HDL (vhdl or verilog) is synthesizeable.
Normally RTL refers to the code which is synthesizeable. That is the
code
which can be successfully converted into a functionally equivalent
netlist
by commonly available synthesis tools such as design compiler from
synopsys
RTL design is one of the most important steps in ASIC design, where
some form of
Specification is converted manually into machine read-able description
or model,
which is called RTL code, which then can be subjected to various
automation steps
to make a chip out of it. At present writing, various attempts in the
industry are
going on, to generate RTL automatically from a C language model, or a
systemC language model or a SystemVerilog model.
Related Terms:
Formal Verification
Simulation.