The Howdy Glossary

Handel-C is a programming language developed for the design, simulation, and implementation of digital hardware systems, offering a higher level of abstraction compared to traditional hardware description languages like VHDL or Verilog. It simplifies the transition from software engineering to hardware design by allowing users to integrate C code with RTL descriptions within the same program. This integration enables clear and efficient representations of complex systems without sacrificing performance. Handel-C can compile into VHDL or Verilog for FPGA platform synthesis, thus eliminating the need for detailed knowledge of low-level HDL constructs.

Created by Celoxica, a company specializing in electronic system-level design tools, Handel-C was designed to streamline the digital hardware design process. Celoxica's focus on high-level synthesis tools aimed at converting behavioral descriptions into hardware implementations more effectively than traditional methods made Handel-C a significant part of their offerings. By providing an intuitive yet powerful tool that combines C code directly with RTL descriptions, Handel-C facilitates concise and understandable representations of complex systems while maintaining efficiency in performance.

In comparison to its main competitors such as Vivado HLS from Xilinx, Catapult C from Mentor Graphics, and LegUp, Handel-C stands out due to its unique ability to seamlessly integrate C code with RTL descriptions in one program. While these competitors also offer high-level abstraction for easier translation into RTL code for FPGA implementations and emphasize various strengths such as automated optimizations (Vivado HLS), system-level optimizations (Catapult C), and support for numerous hardware platforms (LegUp), Handel-C differentiates itself by making complex system representation more accessible without compromising efficiency. These features make it particularly attractive for software engineers transitioning into hardware design as well as other users seeking simplified yet robust methodologies for designing digital hardware systems.