Papers

This page collects publications and presentations about PyHDL-IF and related Python-in-UVM verification topics.


Properly Introducing Python To Your UVM Testbench

Conference

DVCon US 2026

Award

Stuart Sutherland Best Paper Award — 1st Place

Author

Matthew Ballance, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)

Abstract

There are many attractive aspects of using Python in a simulation testbench — including a large ecosystem of libraries and tools. Among the obstacles is the integration effort and limitations in the ability to reuse existing UVM content. This paper presents a UVM-centric integration approach, implemented by an open-source library, that practically eliminates per-testbench integration work while preserving the ability to reuse existing UVM assets in a highly-performant manner. Examples highlight key use-cases enabled by such an integration approach.

Paper (PDF) | Presentation slides (PDF)


Refresh Your UVM Testbench with a Spritz of Python

Conference

62nd ACM/IEEE Design Automation Conference (DAC 2025) — Front-End Design Track

Award

Honorable Mention

Author

Matthew Ballance

Overview

This presentation introduces the motivation and key ideas behind blending Python into an existing SystemVerilog/UVM testbench flow. It explores why domain-specific languages (DSLs) such as SystemVerilog cover some verification tasks extremely well while falling short in areas where general-purpose languages — and Python in particular — shine. The talk surveys the trade-offs of different integration strategies and shows how PyHDL-IF enables practical, low-overhead Python adoption without discarding existing UVM infrastructure.

Presentation slides (PDF)