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Compiler

A compiler is a computer program which transforms a program specified in one language, the source language, to a program which is specified in another language, the target language.
Traditionally the source language is a high level programming language which eases the processes of developing a program. The compiler then translates this to the target language which is usually in a form which is more easily executable but also much less understandable.

Fabric

When talking about FPGAs, the fabric is the physical circuitry inside of the device. This include both computational circuitry and interconnect.

FPGA

Field Programmable Gate Array
A FPGA is a computer circuit which is capable of changing the computation that it performs without needing to rebuild the circuit. This is vastly different than standard computer circuits, such as processors, which are programmed to perform only a single task during there entire operation.

FPGAs are a new and highly interesting technology. These devices combine the efficiency of dedicated hardware with the flexibility of software. Currently FPGAs run at speeds which are orders or magnitude slower than there counterparts but they are tracking Moores law and so the future looks promising.

High Level Language

A high level language is a programming language which abstracts the execution semantics of a computer architecture from the specification of the program.
This abstraction make the process of developing a program a much more simple and understandable process. The amount of abstraction that is provided often defines how 'high level' a programming language is.

Hthreads

Hybrid Threads
Hthreads is the name of the FPGA based computational platform being developed at the University of Kansas.
The idea behind this platform is that the hardware/software boundary that exists in traditional computer architectures can be eliminated through the use of standard interfaces in both hardware components and software components.

Interface

An interface is a mechanism of communication between two or more components in a system.
Often times the mechanism of communication is created in an ad hoc manner which can lead to designs that are difficult to implement and maintain. Thus, using standard interfaces for all components often results in better designs.

Jitter

Jitter is the deviation of a time signal from its ideal point in time. Jitter in operating systems come from nondeterminism.
The nondeterminism can be introduced at many levels in the computer architecture. For instance, the cache present in modern processors introduces nondeterminism in the amount of time that is taken to perform memory operations. This nondeterminism manifests itself as a small amount of jitter in the operating system.
Another example, this time in the operating system itself, the the nondeterminism that is introduced in the scheduling algorithms of most operating systems. This nondeterminism is introduced because the operating system must examine the execution of all tasks in the system to determine which task should be running. Because the number of running tasks in a system can vary widely, a large amount of jitter can often times be introduced.

Verilog

Verilog is an industry standard hardware description langauge. The language syntax is loosely based on the syntax of the C programming language.

VHDL

Very High Speed Integrated Circuit (VHSIC) Hardware Description Language
VHDL is an IEEE-standard hardware description langauge which was originally developed by the US Department of Defense. This language is used by hardware designers to describe the circuits that they are designing. The designs can then be simulated to ensure correctness. VHDL descriptions can also be turned directly into a hardware circuit by VHDL synthesis tools.

RD Glossary by Run Digital