DenseChip

UVM Coding Practice · Senior

Run-Time Sub-Phases

reset, configure, main, shutdown.

Interview prompt

List UVM run-time sub-phases and what runs in each.

diagram
WHITEBOARD CHAIN

1. DECLARE    interfaces / types / ports you need
2. SKELETON   class extends + utils macro + key methods
3. MECHANISM  fill one critical method while narrating
4. PITFALL    name one bug juniors make on this pattern
5. TEST       how you would smoke-test the component

  1. reset_phase — apply reset, wait reset release, flush FIFOs

  2. configure_phase — program registers, load cfg

  3. main_phase — primary stimulus (sequences)

  4. shutdown_phase — wait idle, drain, summary report

Mechanism to narrate

  • UVM 1.2 splits run_phase into sub-phases automatically

  • Override task reset_phase/main_phase etc. instead of one giant run

  • Objections can be per sub-phase or owned by test

Smoke test (5 minutes)

  • Narrate which sub-phase runs your APB seq.

  • Show reset_phase task that waits PREADY idle before main.

Common pitfalls

  • All stimulus in run_phase task ignoring sub-phases.

  • Reset tasks in main_phase after traffic started.

Practice this lesson