# RTL Buddy v5

> Version-pinned documentation for the RTL Buddy CLI and its agent interfaces.

Use the catalog for page and section-level retrieval:

- [Agent catalog](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/catalog.json)

## Documentation pages

- [Contributing](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/CONTRIBUTING.md): Entry point for contributing to rtl_buddy, with links to the detailed development and documentation guidelines maintainers follow.
- [Agent use of rtl-buddy](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/agents.md): How rtl_buddy is built for AI-agent use — the bundled skill, local docs access, machine mode, and the structured log and stdout contracts agents can rely on.
- [Assertion-Based Verification in Simulation](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/abv-simulation.md): How to compile in SystemVerilog Assertions during simulation with rb test, the Verilator SVA subset, and how firings surface in the results table.
- [AXI Interconnect Profiling](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/axi-profile.md): How to profile AXI interconnect performance with rtl_buddy via the rb axi-profile subcommand group, models.yaml fields, and the standalone rtl-buddy-axi-profiler.
- [CDC Lint](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/cdc.md): How to run CDC lint with rtl_buddy via the rb cdc command, cdc.yaml, and the standalone rtl-buddy-cdc analyzer.
- [cocotb testbenches (Verilator + VPI)](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/cocotb.md): How to setup rtl-buddy tests to use cocotb. How are cocotb results reported.
- [Coverage](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/coverage.md): How to collect, merge, and report coverage for Verilator-based builds using rtl_buddy.
- [Execution Context](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/execution-context.md): Where rtl_buddy puts artifacts and logs, and how relative paths are resolved when you invoke rb from outside the suite directory.
- [Formal Property Verification](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/fpv.md): How to run formal property verification with rtl_buddy via the rb fpv command, fpv.yaml, and SymbiYosys.
- [Hierarchy Rendering](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/hier.md): How to render module hierarchy diagrams with rtl_buddy via the rb hier command and the standalone rtl-buddy-view renderer.
- [Hub (`rb hub`)](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/hub.md): rtl-buddy-hub is the broker that mediates between the rtl-buddy-view SPA, surfer (via rb wave), and editor adapters. Invocation, config, troubleshooting.
- [Mutation Testing](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/mut.md): How to score a verification suite with rtl_buddy mutation testing via the rb mut command, mut.yaml, the rtl-buddy-xeno engine, and FPV or simulation kill oracles.
- [Plugins](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/plugins.md): How to extend rtl_buddy test behavior using sweep, preproc, and postproc Python plugin hooks.
- [Place-and-Route](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/pnr.md): How to run OpenROAD place-and-route with rtl_buddy via the rb pnr command, pnr.yaml, and cfg-pnr-platforms.
- [Power Analysis](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/power.md): How to run OpenROAD-driven gate-level power analysis with rtl_buddy via the rb power command, power.yaml, SAIF activity capture, and cfg-pnr-platforms.
- [Regressions](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/regressions.md): How to run multiple test suites in sequence using regression.yaml, filtering tests by regression level.
- [Root Config](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/root-config.md): How root_config.yaml configures platform selection, builders, and simulation settings for an RTL project.
- [Spec Traceability](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/spec-traceability.md): How to use specs.yaml, models.yaml spec pointers, and tests.yaml covers fields to trace functional requirements through to tests.
- [Synthesis](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/synthesis.md): How to run synthesis flows with rtl_buddy using synth.yaml, cfg-synth-tools, cfg-pdks + cfg-synth-platforms, and the rb synth command.
- [Tests](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/tests.md): How to define testbenches and tests in tests.yaml for a verification suite.
- [Tool Dependency Check](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/tool-check.md): How to verify the rtl_buddy external-tool environment with the rb tool-check command, the declarative tool manifest, and the per-subcommand readiness report.
- [Waveform Viewer (`rb wave`)](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/concepts/wave.md): How rb wave opens Surfer with live signal value annotation in your editor via the WCP protocol.
- [Documentation Guidelines](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/development/docs.md): Documentation authoring rules for rtl_buddy, including frontmatter, page structure, generated files, and local validation.
- [Engineering Guidelines](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/development/guidelines.md): Engineering guidelines for rtl_buddy maintainers, covering execution contexts, paths, artifacts, subprocesses, logging, errors, validation, and release-sensitive files.
- [Development Environment Setup](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/development/setup.md): How to set up a local rtl_buddy development environment — clone, dependencies, lint, tests, docs, and build verification.
- [RTL Buddy](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/index.md): RTL Buddy is a Python CLI for Verilog and SystemVerilog regression testing, Verilator and VCS simulation workflows, Yosys synthesis flows, coverage, and YAML-based RTL automation.
- [Installation](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/install.md): How to install rtl_buddy into a project using uv, including prerequisites and verification steps.
- [Quirks & Known Issues](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/known-issues.md): Quirks, non-conventional behaviors, and known issues with rtl_buddy, including workarounds for simulator-specific behaviors.
- [Migrating from Submodule to uv](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/migrations/submodule-to-uv.md): How to migrate an RTL project from the legacy rtl_buddy submodule flow to a uv-managed PyPI dependency.
- [Migrating from v2 to v3](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/migrations/v2-to-v3.md): How to migrate an rtl_buddy project from v2 to v3, covering the artifact layout change and other breaking changes.
- [Migrating from v4 to v5](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/migrations/v4-to-v5.md): How to migrate an rtl_buddy project from v4 to v5, covering the ExecutionContext change that anchors all outputs on the primary config file.
- [Quick Start](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/quickstart.md): Run your first rtl_buddy test, regression, synthesis, and supporting commands in an already-installed project.
- [CLI Reference](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/reference/cli.md): Auto-generated CLI reference for all rtl-buddy commands and their options.
- [YAML Formats](https://rtl-buddy.github.io/rtl_buddy/v5/agent/pages/reference/yaml.md): Canonical reference for rtl_buddy YAML configuration files, including root_config.yaml, regression.yaml, tests.yaml, models.yaml, synth.yaml, synth_regression.yaml, pnr.yaml, power.yaml, power_regression.yaml, cdc.yaml, cdc_regression.yaml, fpv.yaml, fpv_regression.yaml, and mut.yaml.