As the most popular FPGA development language, Verilog HDL is of course the basis for entry.
Start with the simplest code. Find the simplest basic examples (with simulation routines), and can’t read reference books. After reading it, use the synthesis tool to synthesize, and then look at the RTL diagram, you can see what kind of digital circuit these codes are finally translated into.
Then there is a simulation or actual measurement on the board: only by inputting the simulated signal into the programmed module can we clearly know what the final circuit output is and whether it is consistent with the assumption. If they are inconsistent, find the reason for the inconsistency. For simple designs, there is no difference between simulation and actual board.
In addition: understand what circuit the logic is written, the circuit is the eternal core of the entire FPGA design! If you find that one day you are very clear about the logic you wrote, then congratulations on getting started! In other words, you have to learn to look at your code with the mind of a machine. Only with more synthesis can you understand what the xi compiler is. The best understanding is to use a machine to understand a machine!
Cases suitable for beginners, in order from easy to difficult:
N bit counter (the FPGA integrated counter is not the same as in the digital book, let’s compare it carefully).
LED control. That is, single signal output regular control, such as output flashing once for 1s, etc.
Use the state machine to control the LED. For example, when button A is pressed, it flashes once for 0.5s, and when button A is pressed again, it flashes once for 1s, etc. You can program it yourself.
Any integer frequency division.
DDS design.
Analog serial communication, for example, the baud rate is 9600, the start bit and the stop bit are 1 bit each, and the check bit is not available. Just communicate with the host computer in this way to see if it can work normally. If you can achieve this, it means that you have made a qualitative leap and can basically understand how to design circuits in Verilog.
SPI communication is also a relatively simple protocol. You can try it whether you are the master or slave.
I2C communication is as difficult as SPI.
Learn how to use common IP cores.
FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) was invented in 1985 by Ross Freeman, one of the founders of Xilinx. Although other companies claimed to be the first to invent programmable logic device PLD, the real first FPGA chip XC2064 was invented by Xilinx This time is almost 20 years later than Mr. Moore’s famous Moore’s Law. But once FPGA was invented, the subsequent development speed was beyond the imagination of most people. In recent years, FPGA has always led advanced technology.