Development Environment
Complete toolchain for OpenPower FPGA development.
What You Need
| Tool | Purpose | Install Time |
|---|---|---|
| WSL/Linux | Base environment | 10 min |
| Vivado 2025.x | FPGA synthesis | 60 min |
| LiteX | SoC generator | 5 min |
| FuseSoC | Microwatt native builds (optional) | 2 min |
| PowerPC Toolchain | Cross-compilation | 5 min |
Installation Order
- WSL Debian Setup (Windows users)
- Vivado Installation
- LiteX Setup
- FuseSoC Setup (optional - Microwatt only)
- PowerPC Toolchain
Total setup time: ~90 minutes
Quick Install (Debian/Ubuntu)
# Base tools
sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y \
build-essential git python3-pip \
device-tree-compiler gcc-powerpc64-linux-gnu
# LiteX
pip3 install litex litex-boards
# Verification
gcc-powerpc64-linux-gnu --version
python3 -m litex.soc.cores.cpu
FuseSoC (Optional)
Only needed for Microwatt native builds. Skip if using LiteX.
FuseSoC is a build system for HDL projects. Microwatt uses it for native FPGA builds.
pip3 install --user fusesoc
Verify:
fusesoc --version
Note: LiteX builds don’t require FuseSoC. Use FuseSoC only when:
- Building Microwatt standalone (without LiteX SoC)
- Following native Microwatt tutorials
- Developing VHDL core modifications
See First Build for FuseSoC usage examples.
Verify Installation
# Check all tools
command -v vivado && \
command -v litex_soc && \
command -v powerpc64-linux-gnu-gcc && \
echo "✓ All tools installed"
System Requirements
- OS: Debian 12+, Ubuntu 22.04+, or WSL2
- RAM: 16GB minimum, 32GB recommended
- Disk: 150GB (100GB for Vivado)
- Network: Fast connection for initial setup
Support
Issues? See Troubleshooting