System prototyping with ALMA

ALMA presents itself like a shell over a CAD framework. It mainly aims at portable description (independent on CAD framework); rapid system modelling (using a powerful temporal and functional simulator), and quick realization (using a sequential language manipulating hardware resources like registers, ALUs). The ALMA strongest point is its practical side. It offers entry points within the system at two different levels. The first level gives the possibility to install new resources in the input language. Except on installation phases for these new resources, this level is a portable entry. The second level is to directly bring into the simulator manually designed blocks by describing their models. Such a feature is of course not portable. Finally, ALMA relations to CAD frameworks look a little bit like Unix relations to computers. ALMA is a general purpose kernel, but this kernel is open, and the user can focus itself onto a specific application domain.<>