Progression, tier by tier
Tier 0
Foundations
Ripple carry → carry-lookahead adder, array multiplier, FSMs - verified with exhaustive vectors and zero latch-inference warnings.
Tier 1
RTL craftsmanship
Parameterized ALU, configurable FIFO with extended pointers, the base 5-stage pipeline.
Tier 2
Performance & correctness
Hazard forwarding, a CDC bridge with Gray-coded async FIFOs, AXI-Lite peripheral.
Tier 3
Verification engineering
Constrained-random testbenches, the UVM environment, formal property proofs.