Soft core (synthesis)

A soft core (also called softcore) is a digital circuit that can be wholly implemented using logic synthesis. It can be implemented via different semiconductor devices containing programmable logic (e.g., ASIC, FPGA, CPLD), including both high-end and commodity variations.^[1] Many soft cores may be implemented in one FPGA.^[2] In those multi-core systems, rarely used resources can be shared between all the cores.

Examples of soft core implementations are soft microprocessors, graphics chips like AGA or Open Graphics Project, harddisc controllers etc.

See also

• SoC (System-on-a-chip)
• PSoC (Programmable System on a Chip)
• FPGA (Field-programmable gate array)
• Reconfigurable computing
• Minimig - Example implementation of custom chips replications
• Open-source hardware
• List of open source hardware projects