Comparing Project Mode and Non-Project Mode - Comparing Project Mode and Non-Project Mode - 2026.1 English - UG892

In Project Mode, the Vivado IDE tracks your design history and stores relevant design information. Because many features are automated, you have less control in the default flow. For example, Vivado generates only a standard set of report files with each run. Using Tcl commands or scripts, you can customize the tool's flow and features of the tool in Project Mode.

The following automated features are available only in Project Mode:

• Out-of-the-box design flow
• Easy push-button interface
• Powerful Tcl scripting for customization
• Source file management and status tracking
• Automatically generated standard reports
• Storage and reuse of tool settings and design configuration
• Experimentation with multiple synthesis and implementation runs
• Run results management and status tracking

In Non-Project Mode, you control every action through Tcl commands. This customizable flow suits designers who need precise control and batch processing. The system processes everything entirely in memory, so it does not automatically create files. Each time you compile, you must define sources, set parameters, launch implementation commands, and generate reports.

You can accomplish these tasks using Tcl scripts, because the system does not create a project on disk. Source files remain in their original locations, and design outputs generate only when and where you specify. Many users prefer this batch compilation style for complete control of design data.

The following table summarizes the differences between Project Mode and Non-Project Mode.