01 / 08 · What we check

Module architecture that holds up as your design grows.

We read your RTL the way a senior reviewer would, not just linting syntax, but judging whether the module boundaries, hierarchy, and interfaces will still make sense six months and three engineers from now.

01
Module boundaries. Are responsibilities split cleanly, or is one module quietly doing three jobs?
02
Interface consistency. Do port names, widths, and directions follow a predictable pattern across the hierarchy?
03
Readability. Can a new engineer trace signal intent without reverse-engineering it from waveforms?
04
Reusability. Are parameters and generics used so blocks can be reused instead of copy-pasted?
05
Testability. Is internal state observable enough to debug without invasive rework?

Sample findingRTL Quality

module axi_bridge #(
  parameter DATA_W = 32,
  parameter ADDR_W = 16
)(
  input  wire                  clk,
  input  wire                  rst_n,
  input  wire [DATA_W-1:0]      wdata,
  // ...12 more ports, no grouping, no comments
  output reg  [DATA_W-1:0]      rdata,
  output reg                   ready
);

Control and datapath logic merged in one always blockMajor

This pattern makes the block hard to reuse and hides timing-critical paths inside unrelated control logic.

Why it matters

What this check protects you from.

Fewer re-spins

Structural issues caught in review are cheap to fix. Found after synthesis, they cost a re-spin.

Faster onboarding

Clean module boundaries mean new team members can contribute in days, not weeks.

Safer refactors

Well-isolated modules can be changed without triggering a full-chip re-verification.

All categories

Every review covers all 8.

RTL Quality is one of eight categories in every FPGAStudio review. Explore the rest below.

Resource Optimization

DSP & Fixed-Point