EQWAVE: Timestamps lie. Behavior doesn't

EQWAVE: Why Timestamps Lie in RTL vs GLS (and Behavior Doesn’t)

If you’ve ever compared RTL and GLS waveforms, you’ve seen this:

• RTL passes
• GLS fails
• Waveforms don’t line up
• The design is actually correct

That’s because timestamps lie.

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The Problem with Timestamps

RTL and GLS live in different timing domains:

• RTL has zero gate delays
• GLS includes real gate delays
• Signal transitions naturally shift in time

Comparing signals by timestamp produces false mismatches, not bugs.

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What Actually Matters: Behavior

Instead of asking when a signal toggles, ask:

Did the same sequence of events occur?

If valid → data → ready happens in the same order, timing differences don’t matter.

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How EQWAVE Fixes This

EQWAVE compares behavioral patterns, not timestamps:

• Captures signal states on every change
• Hashes them into fingerprints
• Compares sequences, ignoring gate-delay noise

Real bugs show up as behavioral divergence, not timing drift.

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Why This Matters

• Fewer false failures
• Faster debug cycles
• Scales better for large designs

This approach is essential as designs get bigger and more complex.

TL;DR

Timestamps lie.
Behavior doesn’t.

That’s the idea behind EQWAVE.

🔗 Full technical article:
EQWAVE: Timestamps lie. Behavior doesn't