Latches
A latch is inferred (put into the synthesized circuit) if a variable is not assigned to in the else branch of an if … else if … else statement. A latch is also inferred in a case statement if a variable is assigned to in only some of the possible case choice branches. Assigning a variable in the default branch avoids the latch. In general, a latch is inferred in if … else if … else and case statements if a variable, or one of its bits, is only assigned to in only some of the possible branches.
To improve code readability, use the if statement to synthesize a latch because it is difficult to explicitly specify the
latch enable signal when using the case statement.
| Syntax same as if … else if … else and case statements |  |
Edge-Triggered Registers, Flip-flops, Counters
A register (flip-flop) is inferred by using posedge or negedge clause for the clock in the event list of an always block.
To add an asynchronous reset, include a second posedge/negedge for the reset and use the if (reset) … else statement.
Note that when you use the negedge for the reset (active low reset), the if condition is ( !reset).
| Syntax always @(posedge clk or posedge reset_1 or negedge reset_2) begin if (reset_1) begin … reset assignments end else if (!reset_2) begin … reset assignments end else begin …register assignments end end |   |
Multiplexers
A multiplexer is inferred by assigning a variable to different variables/values in each branch of an if or case statement. You can avoid specifying each and every possible branch by using the else and default branches. Note that a latch will be inferred if a variable is not assigned to for all the possible branch conditions.
To improve readability of your code, use the case statement to model large multiplexers.
| Syntax same as if … else if … else and case statements |  |
Adders/Subtracters
The +/- operators infer an adder/subtracter whose width depend on the width of the larger operand.
| SyntaxSame as operator |  |
Tri-State Buffers
A tristate buffer is inferred if a variable is conditionally assigned a value of z using an if, case or conditional operator.
| Syntax same as if … else if … else and case statements |  |
Other Component Inferences
Most logic gates are inferred by the use of their corresponding operators. Alternatively a gate or component may be explicitly instantiated by using the primitive gates (and, or, nor, inv …) provided in the Verilog language.
