GF-Cocotb -- Python Testbench Generation
Generate Cocotb testbenches as an alternative to SystemVerilog TBs.
Tool Detection
python3 -c "import cocotb" 2>/dev/null
If not found, return GATEFLOW-RESULT ERROR with: pip install cocotb
Test Template
import cocotb
from cocotb.clock import Clock
from cocotb.triggers import RisingEdge
@cocotb.test()
async def test_reset(dut):
clock = Clock(dut.clk, 10, units="ns")
cocotb.start_soon(clock.start())
dut.rst_n.value = 0
for _ in range(3):
await RisingEdge(dut.clk)
dut.rst_n.value = 1
await RisingEdge(dut.clk)
assert dut.count.value == 0
When to Use
| Cocotb |
SV Testbench |
| Python (lower barrier) |
SystemVerilog |
| Complex stimulus (Python libs) |
Protocol + coverage |
| Slower (co-simulation) |
Faster (native) |
Makefile Template
SIM ?= icarus
TOPLEVEL_LANG ?= verilog
VERILOG_SOURCES += $(PWD)/rtl/$(DUT).sv
TOPLEVEL = $(DUT)
MODULE = test_$(DUT)
COCOTB_HDL_TIMEUNIT = 1ns
COCOTB_HDL_TIMEPRECISION = 1ps
ifeq ($(SIM),verilator)
EXTRA_ARGS += --trace --trace-structs
endif
SIM_BUILD = sim_build/$(SIM)
include $(shell cocotb-config --makefiles)/Makefile.sim
Test Templates
FIFO Test
import cocotb
from cocotb.clock import Clock
from cocotb.triggers import RisingEdge, ClockCycles
import random
async def reset_fifo(dut):
dut.rst.value = 1
dut.wr_en.value = 0
dut.rd_en.value = 0
await ClockCycles(dut.clk, 5)
dut.rst.value = 0
await RisingEdge(dut.clk)
@cocotb.test()
async def test_fifo_write_read(dut):
clock = Clock(dut.clk, 10, units="ns")
cocotb.start_soon(clock.start())
await reset_fifo(dut)
assert dut.empty.value == 1
written = []
for i in range(16):
data = random.randint(0, 255)
written.append(data)
dut.din.value = data
dut.wr_en.value = 1
await RisingEdge(dut.clk)
dut.wr_en.value = 0
await RisingEdge(dut.clk)
assert dut.full.value == 1
read = []
for i in range(16):
dut.rd_en.value = 1
await RisingEdge(dut.clk)
read.append(int(dut.dout.value))
dut.rd_en.value = 0
assert read == written
Valid/Ready Handshake Test
@cocotb.test()
async def test_handshake(dut):
clock = Clock(dut.clk, 10, units="ns")
cocotb.start_soon(clock.start())
# ... reset ...
async def driver():
for data in range(20):
dut.s_data.value = data
dut.s_valid.value = 1
while True:
await RisingEdge(dut.clk)
if dut.s_ready.value == 1:
break
dut.s_valid.value = 0
async def backpressure():
while True:
dut.m_ready.value = random.randint(0, 1)
await ClockCycles(dut.clk, random.randint(1, 4))
cocotb.start_soon(driver())
cocotb.start_soon(backpressure())
await ClockCycles(dut.clk, 200)
FSM Test
from enum import IntEnum
class State(IntEnum):
IDLE = 0
ACTIVE = 1
DONE = 2
@cocotb.test()
async def test_fsm(dut):
clock = Clock(dut.clk, 10, units="ns")
cocotb.start_soon(clock.start())
# reset...
assert int(dut.state.value) == State.IDLE
dut.start.value = 1
await RisingEdge(dut.clk)
dut.start.value = 0
await RisingEdge(dut.clk)
assert int(dut.state.value) == State.ACTIVE
Python Runner (pytest)
import os
from pathlib import Path
from cocotb_tools.runner import get_runner
def test_module():
sim = os.getenv("SIM", "icarus")
runner = get_runner(sim)
runner.build(
sources=[Path("rtl/my_module.sv")],
hdl_toplevel="my_module",
)
runner.test(
hdl_toplevel="my_module",
test_module="test_my_module",
)
cocotbext Protocol Libraries
| Package |
Protocol |
Install |
cocotbext-axi |
AXI4, AXI-Lite, AXI-Stream |
pip install cocotbext-axi |
cocotbext-wishbone |
Wishbone B4 |
pip install cocotbext-wishbone |
cocotbext-spi |
SPI |
pip install cocotbext-spi |
cocotbext-uart |
UART |
pip install cocotbext-uart |
cocotbext-eth |
Ethernet |
pip install cocotbext-eth |
cocotbext-pcie |
PCIe |
pip install cocotbext-pcie |
AXI-Lite Example
from cocotbext.axi import AxiLiteBus, AxiLiteMaster
axil = AxiLiteMaster(AxiLiteBus.from_prefix(dut, "s_axi"), dut.clk, dut.rst)
await axil.write(0x0000, b'\x42\x00\x00\x00')
data = await axil.read(0x0000, 4)
Decision Matrix: Cocotb vs SV TB
| Factor |
Use Cocotb |
Use SV/UVM |
| Team knows Python |
Yes |
- |
| FPGA project |
Yes |
- |
| Large ASIC with UVM infra |
- |
Yes |
| Need open-source CI |
Yes |
- |
| Standard protocols (AXI, SPI) |
Yes (cocotbext) |
- |
| Deep constrained random |
- |
Yes |
| Rapid iteration |
Yes |
- |
GATEFLOW-RESULT Integration
---GATEFLOW-RESULT---
STATUS: PASS | FAIL | ERROR
ERRORS: <count>
WARNINGS: <count>
FILES: <test files>
DETAILS: <summary>
---END-GATEFLOW-RESULT---