uvm

UVM coding standards and methodology guidelines. All agents building or modifying UVM-based verification environments must follow the rules in this skill. Based on the IEEE 1800.2-2020 UVM Standard.

<Use_When>

• When writing UVM testbenches, agents, sequences, or scoreboards
• When building UVM environments for the rtl-p5s-uvm-verify skill
• During Phase 5 (Verification) — UVM-based verification work
• Agents: testbench-dev </Use_When>

<Do_Not_Use_When>

• When doing cocotb Python-based verification → use rtl-p5s-func-verify skill
• When writing only SVA assertions → use systemverilog-assertion skill
• When writing RTL synthesizable code → use systemverilog skill </Do_Not_Use_When>

<Why_This_Exists> UVM is an industry-standard verification methodology, but its high degree of freedom easily leads to inconsistent code. Following consistent naming conventions, class structure, and factory usage patterns ensures:

• Maximum environment reusability (agents reusable across multiple projects)
• Ease of debugging (predictable structure)
• Natural coverage integration </Why_This_Exists>

<Execution_Policy>

• Applies to all agents generating UVM environments
• Use templates/uvm-env-template.sv as the starting point for new environments
• Review examples/uvm-smoke-test-example.sv for basic smoke test structure
• All UVM components must be registered with the factory (uvm_component_utils / uvm_object_utils)
• Follow the phase callback order precisely </Execution_Policy>

1. Naming Conventions

1.1 Filenames

Type	Pattern	Example
Agent	{proto}_agent.sv	axi_agent.sv
Driver	{proto}_driver.sv	axi_driver.sv
Monitor	{proto}_monitor.sv	axi_monitor.sv
Sequencer	{proto}_sequencer.sv	axi_sequencer.sv
Sequence Item	{proto}_seq_item.sv	axi_seq_item.sv
Sequence	{proto}_{name}_seq.sv	axi_write_seq.sv
Scoreboard	{module}_scoreboard.sv	cabac_scoreboard.sv
Environment	{module}_env.sv	cabac_env.sv
Test	{module}_{name}_test.sv	cabac_smoke_test.sv
Package	{module}_tb_pkg.sv	cabac_tb_pkg.sv
Top	tb_{module}_top.sv	tb_cabac_top.sv

1.2 Class Naming

Target	Pattern	Example
Agent	{proto}_agent	axi_agent
Driver	{proto}_driver	axi_driver
Monitor	{proto}_monitor	axi_monitor
Sequencer	{proto}_sequencer	axi_sequencer
Sequence Item	{proto}_seq_item	axi_seq_item
Sequence (base)	{proto}_base_seq	axi_base_seq
Sequence (specific)	{proto}_{name}_seq	axi_write_burst_seq
Scoreboard	{module}_scoreboard	cabac_scoreboard
Environment	{module}_env	cabac_env
Test (base)	{module}_base_test	cabac_base_test
Coverage	{module}_coverage	cabac_coverage

1.3 Instance Naming (create)

m_ prefix rule: UVM class member handles use m_ prefix per industry convention. This is separate from the RTL u_ prefix rule and applies to UVM TBs only.

// Instance name matches the variable name
m_driver  = axi_driver::type_id::create("m_driver", this);
m_monitor = axi_monitor::type_id::create("m_monitor", this);
m_seqr    = axi_sequencer::type_id::create("m_seqr", this);

2. UVM Class Hierarchy

uvm_test
 └── cabac_base_test
      └── cabac_smoke_test
           └── cabac_random_test

uvm_env
 └── cabac_env
      ├── axi_agent (m_axi_agt)
      │    ├── axi_driver (m_driver)
      │    ├── axi_monitor (m_monitor)
      │    └── axi_sequencer (m_seqr)
      ├── cabac_scoreboard (m_scoreboard)
      └── cabac_coverage (m_coverage)

3. Factory Registration (Mandatory)

All UVM components/objects must be registered with the factory:

class axi_driver extends uvm_driver #(axi_seq_item);
  `uvm_component_utils(axi_driver)

  function new(string name = "axi_driver", uvm_component parent = null);
    super.new(name, parent);
  endfunction
  // ...
endclass

class axi_seq_item extends uvm_sequence_item;
  `uvm_object_utils(axi_seq_item)

  function new(string name = "axi_seq_item");
    super.new(name);
  endfunction
  // ...
endclass

4. Phase Callback Order

Phase	Purpose	Notes
build_phase	Component create, config_db get	Only create here
connect_phase	TLM port connections	After build completes
end_of_elaboration_phase	Final structure check	Optional
run_phase	Simulation execution	raise/drop objection required
extract_phase	Collect results	Optional
check_phase	pass/fail determination	Optional
report_phase	Report results	Scoreboard summary

Objection Rules

task cabac_base_test::run_phase(uvm_phase phase);
  phase.raise_objection(this, "Test started");
  // ... test body (start sequences)
  phase.drop_objection(this, "Test completed");
endtask

• Only test raises/drops objection — forbidden in sequences or drivers
• Without objection, simulation terminates immediately

5. TLM Port Usage

Port Type	Direction	Purpose
uvm_analysis_port	Monitor → Scoreboard/Coverage	Broadcast (1:N)
uvm_seq_item_pull_port	Driver ↔ Sequencer	Auto-connected
uvm_analysis_imp	Scoreboard receiver	Must implement write()

// Monitor: analysis port declaration and usage
class axi_monitor extends uvm_monitor;
  uvm_analysis_port #(axi_seq_item) m_ap;

  function void build_phase(uvm_phase phase);
    super.build_phase(phase);
    m_ap = new("m_ap", this);
  endfunction

  task run_phase(uvm_phase phase);
    // ... capture transaction
    m_ap.write(txn);  // broadcast to all subscribers
  endtask
endclass

// Scoreboard: analysis imp declaration
class cabac_scoreboard extends uvm_scoreboard;
  `uvm_analysis_imp_decl(_input)
  `uvm_analysis_imp_decl(_output)

  uvm_analysis_imp_input  #(axi_seq_item, cabac_scoreboard) m_input_imp;
  uvm_analysis_imp_output #(axi_seq_item, cabac_scoreboard) m_output_imp;

  function void write_input(axi_seq_item txn);
    // enqueue expected
  endfunction

  function void write_output(axi_seq_item txn);
    // compare with expected
  endfunction
endclass

6. config_db Usage

// Test → Agent: pass virtual interface (build_phase)
uvm_config_db #(virtual axi_if)::set(this, "m_env.m_axi_agt*", "vif", m_vif);

// Agent: retrieve virtual interface (build_phase)
if (!uvm_config_db #(virtual axi_if)::get(this, "", "vif", m_vif))
  `uvm_fatal("NO_VIF", "Virtual interface not set for agent")

• set/get paths are hierarchy-based (wildcard * supported)
• On get failure, uvm_fatal is mandatory

7. Coverage Integration

class cabac_coverage extends uvm_subscriber #(axi_seq_item);
  `uvm_component_utils(cabac_coverage)

  covergroup cg_transaction;
    cp_cmd:    coverpoint m_txn.cmd    { bins read = {0}; bins write = {1}; }
    cp_size:   coverpoint m_txn.size   { bins sizes[] = {1, 2, 4, 8}; }
    cross cp_cmd, cp_size;
  endgroup

  function new(string name, uvm_component parent);
    super.new(name, parent);
    cg_transaction = new();
  endfunction

  function void write(axi_seq_item t);
    m_txn = t;
    cg_transaction.sample();
  endfunction
endclass

8. Anti-Patterns

Anti-Pattern	Problem	Fix
Not registered with factory	Cannot override/reuse	Add uvm_*_utils to all classes
Objection in driver	Phase control confusion	Only raise/drop in test
Ignoring config_db get failure	Null pointer crash	Handle with uvm_fatal
Direct DUT access from sequence	Destroys reusability	Use sequencer→driver path only
Hard-coded hierarchy path	Destroys portability	Use config_db wildcard
#delay in run_phase	Destroys portability	Use @(posedge vif.sys_clk)

<Tool_Usage> This skill is not executed directly. It is referenced by agents that generate UVM environments (e.g., testbench-dev). Agents should follow the conventions defined here. </Tool_Usage>

Factory registration, correct naming, config_db usage, analysis port: ```systemverilog class axi_agent extends uvm_agent; `uvm_component_utils(axi_agent) axi_driver m_driver; axi_monitor m_monitor; axi_sequencer m_seqr;

function void build_phase(uvm_phase phase); super.build_phase(phase); m_driver = axi_driver::type_id::create("m_driver", this); m_monitor = axi_monitor::type_id::create("m_monitor", this); m_seqr = axi_sequencer::type_id::create("m_seqr", this); endfunction endclass

</Good>
<Bad>
No factory usage, hard-coded, direct new:
```systemverilog
class my_agent extends uvm_agent;
  // WRONG: no uvm_component_utils
  my_driver drv;
  function void build_phase(uvm_phase phase);
    drv = new("drv", this);  // WRONG: bypasses factory
  endfunction
endclass

<Escalation_And_Stop_Conditions>

• UVM environment compilation error → request fix from testbench-dev
• Coverage target not met → write additional sequences or request analysis from coverage-analyst
• Scoreboard mismatch → request RTL vs Ref Model comparison from func-verifier </Escalation_And_Stop_Conditions>

<Final_Checklist>

• All UVM classes registered with factory (uvm_component_utils / uvm_object_utils)
• Objection raised/dropped only in test
• uvm_fatal on config_db get failure
• TLM analysis port connects monitor→scoreboard
• Virtual interface passed via config_db
• Naming convention: {proto}_agent, {proto}_driver, m_ prefix instances
• Coverage collector subscribes to analysis port
• Port names match RTL (sys_clk, sys_rst_n, i_/o_) </Final_Checklist>