Arrays

Arrays are powerful tools in SystemVerilog that allow you to group and manipulate related sets of data efficiently. SystemVerilog provides different types of arrays to cater to various design and verification scenarios, each with its unique characteristics and use cases.

In SystemVerilog, an array is a collection of data elements, each identified by one or more indices. The elements of an array all have the same data type, such as integers, real numbers, or user-defined types. SystemVerilog arrays can be one-dimensional (1-D) or multidimensional.

Below are the key types of arrays in SystemVerilog:

1. Static Arrays: These are the simplest form of arrays. As the name suggests, their size is fixed at compile-time, and it cannot change during runtime. Fixed-size arrays are excellent for situations where you know the size and range of indices in advance.

2. Dynamic Arrays: Dynamic arrays bring in more flexibility. You can change their size during runtime using the new keyword, which is handy when you don't know the array's size at compile time.

3. Associative Arrays: Associative arrays are even more flexible and powerful. These arrays use a key-value pair system where each unique key maps to a value. The key can be any data type, making them highly useful for many different scenarios, especially when the index range is unknown at compile time.

4. Queues: Queues are the most flexible type of arrays. Elements can be inserted and removed from both the front and back of the queue. Queues also provide a suite of built-in methods to perform various operations like insertion, deletion, sorting, and searching.

Each of these array types has its specific features and use cases. Understanding the characteristics of each will help you decide which one to use in your design or verification tasks. In the following sections, we will go deeper into each of these types, covering their usage, syntax, and specific examples to illustrate their applications.