Volume 14, Number 2

Development of a Semantic and Syntactic Error Detection Engine for the VHDL Language: A Didactic Tool for FPGA Design Education

  Authors

Ricardo Francisco Martinez-Gonzalez and Fernando Huerta Mota, Tecnologico Nacional de Mexico – IT de Veracruz, Mexico

  Abstract

This paper presents the development and validation of the VHDL Syntax Checker (VSC), a lightweight static analysis tool designed to accelerate the debugging cycle and enhance formative feedback in academic environments. Unlike industrial synthesis tools such as Intel Quartus or Xilinx Vivado, which require long execution times, the VSC performs lexical, syntactic, and semantic analysis in milliseconds. The tool integrates a rule-based engine with 10 verification rules (RULE-1 to RULE-10) and 15 automatic correction functions (FIX). A test vehicle with 10 induced errors was used to validate the detector. Results show high accuracy for punctuation and semantic errors, but reveal a cascading effect when structural keywords like "is" are missing, as well as a false negative in identifier validation. Beyond its technical performance, the paper discusses the pedagogical implications of the cascade effect as a teachable moment about VHDL hierarchy. The VSC proves to be a viable didactic platform that reduces student frustration, reinforces correct syntax through immediate feedback, and prepares future engineers for professional design workflows.

  Keywords

VHDL, static analysis, syntax checking, semantic error detection, FPGA education, innovative educational practices.