SoC OpenROAD

Overview

Use the registered soc-openroad MCP server. Prefer the validated local ORFS execution path with backend=local, orfs_dir=${SILICON_CREW_ORFS_DIR}, and jobs=1. Use Docker/Podman only when explicitly requested with backend=auto, backend=docker, or backend=podman. Keep OpenROAD-flow-scripts and OpenROAD source trees independent from the SoC repository; store design-owned handoff files under pd/openroad/<platform>/<design>/.

Layout contract

Use this scheme for vibe_soc-style projects:

<project>/
└── pd/openroad/
    ├── <platform>/<design>/
    │   ├── config.mk
    │   └── constraint.sdc
    └── work_local/           # default local ORFS logs/objects/reports/results; ignored by Git

Do not copy RTL into OpenROAD-flow-scripts. The generated config.mk points back to project RTL via $(PROJECT_ROOT)/... paths. For container runs, the MCP mounts the SoC project at /work, so pd/openroad/<platform>/<design>/config.mk and pd/openroad/work must stay inside the project.

MCP tools

Tool	Purpose
soc_openroad_init	generate portable ORFS config.mk and constraint.sdc from project filelists
soc_openroad_run	run an ORFS Make stage through the MCP process; default backend=local uses the validated local ORFS path and jobs=1; container backends are explicit and never silently fall back
soc_openroad_status	summarize ORFS result/report/log files under pd/openroad/work_local by default

Workflow

1. Ensure RTL/lint/synthesis handoff is already valid through soc-build.
2. Call soc_openroad_init with project_dir, module_dir, design_name, platform, clock/reset ports, and period. For a top-level vibe_soc run, use module_dir=chip/top, design_name=vibe_soc_top, platform=nangate45.
3. Require the module build filelist de/run/rtl.f as the PD RTL source of truth. If de/run/rtl.f is missing, stop before OpenROAD config generation and report the missing build artifact; do not fall back to de/rtl/filelist.f. After soc_openroad_init, review config.mk and confirm VERILOG_FILES was derived from de/run/rtl.f with portable $(PROJECT_ROOT)/... paths so local and container runs can see the files.
4. Review generated pd/openroad/<platform>/<design>/config.mk and constraint.sdc. Fix clock/reset constraints from design requirements, not guesses.
5. Call soc_openroad_run with stage=synth|floorplan|place|cts|route|finish|all. By default this uses backend=local, orfs_dir=${SILICON_CREW_ORFS_DIR}, jobs=1, and pd/openroad/work_local. For local backend, prefer config.local.mk when it exists because it selects the validated openroad-local wrappers and compatibility Tcl.
6. Call soc_openroad_status and record real report/result paths in the PD handoff summary. PD is not a pipeline_state.json stage.

For container execution, explicitly call soc_openroad_run with backend=auto|docker|podman and the desired image. Container execution must not silently fall back to local.

OpenROAD execution must remain in the registered MCP tool. Do not replace it with direct shell make or openroad commands from a stage agent.