[erikerikson]

Not like you're 5 and I'm definitely not an expert on this project but here's my best shot...

Most programs are loaded into memory and parts of those programs are moved to registers and are used to load data into other registers. That data is, in turn, sent to logic units like adders that add two registers together or comparators that compare to register's values. The generality comes at a cost in terms of power and time but offers flexibility in return.

That is very different from something like a light switch where you flip the switch and the result continuously reflects that input within the limits of the speed of light.

If you are willing to sacrifice flexibility, translating your code into hardware gives you a device that runs the same processing on its inputs continuously at the speed of light subject to your information processing constraints (e.g. derivations of the original input still need to be calculated prior to use).

Traditionally, separate languages and greater hardware knowledge requirements made custom circuits less accessible. This project brings more standard, higher level languages into the set of valid specifications for custom electronics.