OpenROAD One-Command Setup Script

A comprehensive setup script to install OpenROAD, OpenRAM, and OpenROAD-flow-scripts with a single command on Linux systems.

Quick Start

git clone https://github.com/csbohan/openroad-setup.git
cd openroad-setup
chmod +x setup_openroad.sh
./setup_openroad.sh

What This Script Installs

• OpenROAD - Open-source RTL-to-GDSII flow
• OpenRAM - Open-source memory compiler
• OpenROAD-flow-scripts - Complete design flows and examples
• All dependencies - System packages, Python packages, and build tools

Supported Systems

• Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, 22.04 LTS, 24.04 LTS (including 24.04.3)
• Debian 11 and newer
• Other Debian-based distributions

Prerequisites

• Linux system with sudo privileges
• Internet connection
• At least 8GB free disk space
• 4GB+ RAM recommended

Installation

Method 1: Clone Repository

git clone https://github.com/csbohan/openroad-setup.git
cd openroad-setup
chmod +x setup_openroad.sh
./setup_openroad.sh

Installation Structure

After installation, tools are organized as follows:

~/openroad-setup/
├── OpenROAD/              # OpenROAD installation
├── OpenRAM/               # OpenRAM installation
├── openroad-flow-scripts/ # Flow scripts and examples
├── run_openram.sh         # Run OpenRAM in tmux
├── setup_environment.sh   # Environment setup script for OpenROAD + OpenRAM
└── README.md

Environment Setup

The script automatically adds tools to your PATH. After installation, run:

source ~/openroad-setup/setup_environment.sh

Or restart your terminal and run the same, or add it to your ~/.bashrc.

Verify installation:

openroad -version
python3 -c "import openram; print('OpenRAM installed successfully')"

Quick Test

Test OpenROAD

cd ~/openroad-setup/openroad-flow-scripts
source env.sh
cd flow
make DESIGN_CONFIG=./designs/sky130hd/gcd/config.mk

(Many other designs are available in the flow scripts.)

Test OpenRAM

First run may take 25+ minutes.

cd ~/openroad-setup/OpenRAM
source openram_env/bin/activate
python3 sram_compiler.py macros/sram_configs/example_config_freepdk45.py

Or use the run_openram.sh helper for long jobs:

cd ~/openroad-setup
./run_openram.sh macros/sram_configs/example_config_freepdk45.py

Example custom config SRAM_32x128_1rw.py to add to your OpenRAM/ directory:

cat > SRAM_32x128_1rw.py << EOF
num_rw_ports    = 1
num_r_ports     = 0
num_w_ports     = 0

word_size       = 32
num_words       = 128
num_banks       = 1
words_per_row   = 4

tech_name       = "freepdk45"
process_corners = ["TT"]
supply_voltages = [1.1]
temperatures    = [25]

route_supplies  = True
check_lvsdrc    = True

output_path     = "SRAM_32x128_1rw"
output_name     = "SRAM_32x128_1rw"
instance_name   = "SRAM_32x128_1rw"
EOF

Then run: python3 sram_compiler.py SRAM_32x128_1rw.py

Performance Tips

For Large SRAM Generation

• RAM: 8GB+ recommended for large SRAMs (>1MB)
• CPU: Single-thread performance matters more than core count
• Storage: SSD recommended for faster builds

Speeding Up OpenRAM

# Disable DRC/LVS checks for faster generation (testing only)
python3 sram_compiler.py -n config.py

# Use smaller test configurations first
python3 sram_compiler.py macros/sram_configs/example_config_freepdk45.py

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Permission Denied Errors:

sudo chown -R $USER:$USER ~/openroad-setup

Python Package Conflicts:

# Use the virtual environment created by the script
cd ~/openroad-setup/OpenRAM
source openram_env/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

Build Failures:

# Check logs in the build directories
# OpenROAD: ~/openroad-setup/OpenROAD/build/openroad_build.log
# Flow:     ~/openroad-setup/openroad-flow-scripts/build_openroad.log

# Clean and retry
rm -rf ~/openroad-setup/OpenROAD ~/openroad-setup/openroad-flow-scripts ~/openroad-setup/OpenRAM
./setup_openroad.sh

Long SSH Sessions:

# Use tmux to prevent disconnection
tmux new-session -d -s openroad_setup './setup_openroad.sh'
tmux attach -t openroad_setup

Getting Help

1. Check the installation logs in the respective build directories
2. Verify system requirements (Ubuntu 20.04/22.04/24.04 or Debian 11+)
3. Try running individual components manually
4. Open an issue with log files attached

Development and Testing

Testing the Script

# Test in Docker container (Ubuntu 24.04)
docker run -it ubuntu:24.04
apt update && apt install -y git
git clone https://github.com/csbohan/openroad-setup.git
cd openroad-setup
chmod +x setup_openroad.sh
./setup_openroad.sh

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Test on clean Ubuntu/Debian systems (including Ubuntu 24.04)
4. Submit a pull request

Useful Resources

• OpenROAD Documentation
• OpenRAM Documentation
• OpenROAD Flow Scripts
• FreePDK45 Technology

Example Workflows

SRAM Generation with OpenRAM

cd ~/openroad-setup/OpenRAM
source openram_env/bin/activate

# Create config file
cat > my_sram_config.py << EOF
word_size = 32
num_words = 128
tech_name = "freepdk45"
num_rw_ports = 1
num_r_ports = 0
num_w_ports = 0
EOF

# Generate SRAM
python3 sram_compiler.py my_sram_config.py

RTL-to-GDS with OpenROAD

cd ~/openroad-setup/openroad-flow-scripts
source env.sh
cd flow
# Use provided examples
make DESIGN_CONFIG=./designs/sky130hd/aes/config.mk

Performance Benchmarks

Typical installation times on different systems:

System	CPU	RAM	Time
Ubuntu 24.04	8-core i7	16GB	~45 min
Ubuntu 22.04	8-core i7	16GB	~45 min
Ubuntu 20.04	4-core i5	8GB	~75 min
Debian 11	2-core VM	4GB	~120 min

License

This setup script is provided under the MIT License. Individual tools have their own licenses:

• OpenROAD: BSD 3-Clause License
• OpenRAM: BSD 3-Clause License
• OpenROAD-flow-scripts: BSD 3-Clause License

Contributing

Contributions are welcome. Please:

1. Test on multiple Linux distributions (including Ubuntu 24.04.3)
2. Update documentation for new features
3. Follow shell scripting best practices
4. Include error handling and logging

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Note: This is an unofficial setup script. For official installation instructions, refer to the individual project documentation.