Creating RTL Kernels

You can implement a kernel in RTL and develop it using theVivado® IDE tool suite. RTL kernels offer potentially higher performance with lower area and power, but require development using RTL coding, tools, and verification methodologies.

Existing RTL-based IP and algorithms can be wrapped and migrated to the SDAccel™SDAccel Environment framework enabling those HDL-based algorithms to tool flow and runtime library. The following section describes how to implement RTL kernels.

RTL kernels should be written, designed, and tested using the recommendations in the UltraFast Design Methodology Guide for the Vivado Design Suite, (UG949).

There are three steps to packaging an RTL block as an RTL kernel forSDAccel applications:

1. Package the RTL block as Vivado IP.
2. Create a kernel description XML file.
3. Package the RTL kernel into a Xilinx Object (XO) file.

These steps are automated through the use of the RTL Kernel Wizard.

A fully packaged RTL Kernel is delivered as an XO file with a file extension of .xo. This file is a container encapsulating the Vivado IP object (including source files) and kernel XML file. The XO file can be compiled into the platform and run in hardware, or hardware emulation flows.