FPGA prototyping

Builds the design, or part of it, on one or more FPGAs so it runs close enough to real speed for software development, system validation with real interfaces, and customer demonstrations before silicon. Prototypes run faster than emulation but compile more slowly and show far fewer internal signals, so teams usually use emulation for hardware debug and prototypes for software and system work. IP vendors also use FPGA boards to show licensees a working block.