System Verilog Basic Interview Questions
1. What is SystemVerilog, and how does it differ from Verilog?
SystemVerilog is an extension of Verilog, which is a hardware description and verification
language. It combines Verilog with features from hardware verification languages (HVL) to
enhance design verification. SystemVerilog adds data types, control flow structures, and a rich
set of verification capabilities, making it more powerful for both design and verification.
2. What are the key features of SystemVerilog?
Key features of SystemVerilog include:
- Extended data types (`logic`, `bit`, `byte`, etc.)
- Enhanced procedural blocks (`initial`, `always_comb`, `always_ff`, etc.)
- Interfaces and virtual interfaces
- Assertions for design verification
- Randomization for testbench creation
- Object-oriented programming features
3. What is the difference between a module and an interface in
SystemVerilog?
- Module: A basic building block in SystemVerilog used to define a hardware component. Modules can
contain ports, parameters, and instances of other modules.
- Interface: Used to group related signals and their associated logic, making the connections between
modules cleaner and more manageable. Interfaces can also include tasks, functions, and modports to
control access to their members.
By Gowtham Seela
1
System Verilog Basic Interview Questions
4. How do you declare a variable in SystemVerilog?
Variables in SystemVerilog can be declared using various data types. Here's an example:
5. What is the scope of a variable in SystemVerilog?
The scope of a variable in SystemVerilog is determined by where it is declared:
- Local variables:declaredd within a block (e.g., `begin-end`) and scoped to that block.
- Module-level variables:declaredd within a module and accessible throughout the module.
- Global variables:declaredd outside of any module or block, accessible throughout the
compilation unit.
By Gowtham Seela
2
System Verilog Basic Interview Questions
6. What are the data types available in SystemVerilog?
SystemVerilog offers a rich set of data types, including:
- `logic`, `bit`, `byte`, `shortint`, `int`, `longint`
- `reg` (legacy from Verilog)
- `wire`, `tri`, etc. (for net types)
- Enumerations (`enum`)
- Structures (`struct`)
- Unions (`union`)
- Arrays (packed and unpacked)
- Classes (for object-oriented programming)
7. How do you perform arithmetic operations in SystemVerilog?
Arithmetic operations in SystemVerilog are similar to those in C/C++. Here are some examples:
8. What is the difference between `logic` and `reg` in SystemVerilog?
- `logic`: A new data type introduced in SystemVerilog that can be used for both combinational
and sequential logic. It is more flexible than `reg`.
- `reg`: A legacy data type from Verilog used primarily for sequential logic (e.g., within `always`
blocks). In SystemVerilog, `logic` is preferred over `reg`.
By Gowtham Seela
3
System Verilog Basic Interview Questions
9. How do you declare an array in SystemVerilog?
Arrays can be declared in SystemVerilog as packed or unpacked:
10. What is the purpose of the `typedef` keyword in SystemVerilog?
`typedef` is used to create an alias for an existing data type, making code more readable and
easier to maintain.
11. How do you define a struct in SystemVerilog?
A `struct` in SystemVerilog is a composite data type that groups different data types together:
By Gowtham Seela
4
System Verilog Basic Interview Questions
12. What is the difference between `packed` and `unpacked` arrays in
SystemVerilog?
- Packed arrays: a contiguous collection of bits treated as a single unit. They are used for
defining widths and bit slicing.
- Unpacked arrays:separatee elements, each of which can be accessed independently.
13. How do you use the `enum` keyword in SystemVerilog?
`enum` is used to define an enumeration, a set of named values:
By Gowtham Seela
5
System Verilog Basic Interview Questions
14. What is the purpose of the `const` keyword in SystemVerilog?
`const` is used to declare constants, which are variables whose value cannot be changed after
initialization:
15. How do you declare a parameter in SystemVerilog?
Parameters are used to define constants within a module, which can be overridden during module
instantiation:
16. What is the difference between `localparam` and `parameter` in
SystemVerilog?
- `parameter`: Can be overridden during module instantiation.
- `localparam`: Cannot be overridden, making it a constant within the module.
By Gowtham Seela
6
System Verilog Basic Interview Questions
17. How do you use the `import` keyword in SystemVerilog?
`import` is used to include packages or specific items from packages:
18. What is the purpose of the `export` keyword in SystemVerilog?
`export` is used in DPI (Direct Programming Interface) to export SystemVerilog functions to be
accessible from foreign languages like C:
19. How do you declare a macro in SystemVerilog?
Macros are declared using `define`:
20. What is the difference between `define` and `macro` in SystemVerilog?
- `define`: Used to define a macro.
- Macro: refers to the code or constant defined by `define`.
By Gowtham Seela
7
