SpaceStudio

SpaceStudio#

SpaceStudio is a comprehensive CAD tool designed for software developers that abstracts the complexities of FPGA development by providing a fully integrated environment for electronic embedded systems and system-on-chip design. Built on the Eclipse platform, it shifts the traditional paradigm where deep hardware expertise and manual rewriting in hardware description languages were once mandatory. Instead, SpaceStudio allows developers to write applications in standard C/C++ and seamlessly partition modules between hardware and software execution, all without changing a single line of code.

Application-First, System-Level Approach

Unlike IP-centric tools that focus on individual hardware components, SpaceStudio takes an application-first, system-level approach. Your application drives the complete design flow, from initial functional validation through architectural exploration to final FPGA implementation. SpaceStudio automatically generates the entire system infrastructure (processors, interconnects, memory controllers, communication channels) based on your application’s requirements, allowing you to focus on what truly matters: your application’s functionality and performance.

SpaceStudio IDE

  • Software-Centric Workflow: Develop your entire application in familiar C/C++ using standard software development practices, no hardware description languages required. Map modules to hardware or software with simple drag-and-drop operations, enabling rapid architectural exploration

  • Functional Validation: Ensure your application runs as intended through comprehensive virtual platform simulation. Debug and verify complete system behavior before any hardware commitment

  • FPGA-in-the-Loop Execution: Integrate actual FPGA hardware directly into your design process to obtain accurate performance metrics. Make informed optimization decisions based on real hardware measurements, not estimates

  • Automated Quality Code Generation: SpaceStudio generates production-ready code and handles error-prone manipulations automatically, including virtual platform, drivers, communication layers, bootloaders, and complete FPGA implementation files

  • End-to-End Application Compilation: Seamlessly compile your complete application from high-level C/C++ source to FPGA bitstream. Support for multiple FPGA vendors (Xilinx, Intel, NanoXplore) and operating systems (Linux, FreeRTOS, µC/OS-II, RTEMS) ensures deployment flexibility

SpaceStudio Integration

From Application to FPGA

SpaceStudio uniquely bridges three critical aspects of embedded system development: Application development (C/C++), Virtual Platform functional validation, and Hardware Implementation on FPGA. This integration enables a seamless transition from software development to hardware deployment, eliminating traditional barriers between software and hardware engineering.

About This Documentation#

This documentation guides you through the complete SpaceStudio development experience—from installation and your first project to advanced system design, profiling, and FPGA implementation. Whether you’re new to FPGA development or an experienced hardware engineer, you’ll find detailed explanations of SpaceStudio’s concepts, step-by-step procedures, and practical tutorials to accelerate your learning.

Documentation

Tutorials