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As RISC-V processors gain momentum in the semiconductor market, attention is shifting from a complete focus on the processor design to a shared focus on processor and software.  Just as with other processor architectures, software development is most often the critical path to SoC projects.  Challenges for software development include how to shift left software development, how to optimize architecture, effective debug, software optimization, and continuous integration and DevOps flow integration.

Virtual prototypes provide a productive answer to these challenges.  Virtual prototypes, with ImperasFPM RISC-V fast processor models and the Virtualizer tools, enable pre-silicon software development.  The virtual prototypes also enable architecture optimization (RISC-V custom instructions) and software optimization with Virtualizer analysis tools.  Virtualizer also supports hardware-software debug, and is used every day in DevOps flows.

With the ImperasFPMs supporting RISC-V processor IP from both vendors and custom processors, users have full flexibility to design in a RISC-V domain-specific processor, and build the software to execute on their SoC platform.