HDL: From Noob to Brain

Master FPGA Development on Tang Primer 20K

Welcome to Real Hardware Design

This isn't Arduino. This isn't software. This is hardware description - you're building actual circuits that execute in parallel at speeds measured in nanoseconds.

FPGAs don't run code. They ARE the circuit. You describe logic gates, flip-flops, and connections. The synthesis tool builds physical hardware from your description. When you press that button, electrons flow through gates YOU designed.

By the end of this course, you'll understand how to build:

No blinking LEDs. No toy projects. Real hardware for real applications.

🎯 Your Hardware: Tang Primer 20K (GW2A-18C)

20K logic elements • 828 Kbits Block RAM • 27 MHz clock • HDMI output • Ethernet PHY • 156 user IOs

Course Content

Chapter 01
Your First HDL Module
Build an AND gate from scratch. Understand module structure, inputs, outputs, and the fundamental concept: you're describing CIRCUITS, not writing code.
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Chapter 02
Combinational Logic
Master gates, multiplexers, decoders, and arithmetic. Learn how operators synthesize to real hardware. Build an ALU that executes in one clock cycle.
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Chapter 03
Sequential Logic & Flip-Flops
Add MEMORY to your circuits. Build counters, shift registers, and state machines. This is where hardware becomes powerful.
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Chapter 04
Clocks, Timing & PLLs
Understand the heartbeat of your FPGA. Master clock domains, PLLs, timing constraints, and synchronization. Avoid metastability disasters.
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Chapter 05
Memory, RAM & Block RAM
Store data efficiently. Use Block RAM, build FIFOs, create ROMs. Learn what's free (BRAM) vs expensive (logic resources).
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Chapter 06
UART: Serial Communication
Coming soon: Build a complete UART transmitter and receiver from scratch.
Coming Soon
Chapter 07
SPI & I2C Masters
Coming soon: High-speed synchronous serial protocols.
Coming Soon
Chapter 08
HDMI Video Output
Coming soon: Generate video timing, implement TMDS encoding, display graphics.
Coming Soon