[BitsAndObjects]

From Software into Hardware? Your fastest route in is to learn Python and find one of the many startups hiring for CocoTB-based verification roles. Depends a bit on what country you're in - I'm happy to give recommendations for the UK!

If you're feeling like learning SystemVerilog, then learn Universal Verification Methodology (UVM), to get into the verification end.

If you want to stay in software but be involved in chip design, then you need to learn C, C++ or Rust (though really C and C++ still dominate!). Then dabble in some particular application of those languages, such as embedded software (think: Arduino), firmware (play with any microcontroller or RPi - maybe even write your own bootloader), compiler (GCC/LLVM), etc.

The other route into software end of chip design is entry-level roles in functional or performance modelling teams, or via creating and running benchmarks. One, the other, or both. This is largely all C/C++ (and some Python, some Rust) software that models how a chip works at some abstract level. At one level, it's just high-performance software. At another, you have to start to learn something of how a chip is designed to create a realistic model.

And if you're really really stuck for "How on earth does a computer actually work", then feel free to check out my YouTube series that teaches 1st-year undergraduate computer architecture, along with building the same processor design in Minecraft (ye know, just for fun. All the taught material is the same!). [Shameless plug ;) ]

[rramadass]

As a Software Engineer, i had long thought about learning (and possibly moving into) Hardware Chip Design and/or its ancillary support domains i.e. what you have listed.

I understand that learning FPGA programming (Verilog/VHDL/etc.) is a first-step in that journey. Would you agree? Have you looked at books like FPGAs for Software Programmers? - https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-26408-0

For each of the domains you have listed, would you mind sharing books/tools/sites etc.?

For example, While researching the above long ago, i had come across the following;

C++ Modelling of SoC Systems Part 1: Processor Elements - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/c-modelling-soc-systems-part-...

C++ Modelling of SoC Systems Part 2 : Infrastructure - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/c-modelling-soc-systems-part-...

gem5 Simulator - https://www.gem5.org/

Verilator Simulator - https://www.veripool.org/verilator/

Maybe you can provide a step-by-step roadmap on how a software guy (C/C++, systems programming) can move on to hardware chip design?

[i_don_t_know]

When I became interested in FPGAs recently, I read this book https://nostarch.com/gettingstartedwithfpgas

I bought a cheap FPGA board based on Lattice's ice40. There are free OSS tools to write, simulate, and install your Verilog/VHDL design onto the ice40.

It's probably a far cry from what a professional FPGA programmer does with Vivado etc but it might give you an inexpensive idea of the basics and if you want to pursue it.

[rramadass]

Right; i already have looked into this (had gotten a FPGA board from Digilent with Vivado and a whole bunch of FPGA books a while ago) but have not done much with it. I generally like to read/learn different subjects for intellectual curiosity before looking at job/business/etc. opportunities using it.

What i was interested to know from the gp's comment is; what would it take today to actually get into this industry; how the current AI tools make it easy (if at all) and what one should concentrate on if one wants to approach Hardware Chip Design as a whole. The C++ SoC modeling articles i listed above were a great help for me to understand where my software skills could be of immediate value here. Since the gp seemed to be knowledgeable in this domain i was curious to know his take on the overall domain.

[BitsAndObjects]

I thought this might be better captured in a blog post, so here you go: https://ednutting.com/2026/02/20/sw-to-digital-logic-design....

I think if I spent more than the last 90 minutes on this, I might come up with more detailed and nuanced opinions for you. Irrespective, hopefully this offers some useful thoughts.

Happy to continue the conversation here on HN.

[rramadass]

Good introductory overview post.

However, most of it was already known and i was looking for something more specific/detailed given the OP article.

In the past i had worked on a custom SoC (on the software side) and had often interacted with the hardware designers to understand more of their domain. The first surprise was that most Verilog/RTL guys didn't know anything about software (not even assembly/C!) while of course embedded software guys (like myself) didn't know anything about HDLs. There was (and is) a very hard disconnect which is quite interesting. In the spirit of the OP article, the book i linked to actually shows a path via Vivado HLS for software folks to move into hardware design using their C/C++ programming skills. But i would like to see some hardware designer here validate that approach in the real-world. Especially now that you have powerful AI tools available to help you do stuff faster and easier.

With the rise of demanding AI/ML/Crypto applications, there is now a greater interest in designing new types of custom hardware requiring Hardware/Software Modeling(verification/benchmarking)/Co-Design/Co-Verification etc. They involve designing complete SoCs containing CPU/GPU/FPGAs based on specific designs. Given that hardware design is a universe of its own, not knowing the overall picture i.e. architecture/tools/methodologies/etc. makes it quite daunting for software folks to approach it.

PS: Maybe you can augment/create-new blog post with an actual case study based on your experiences on steps involved going from ideation to tapeout.