Using Design Checkpoints - Using Design Checkpoints - 2026.1 English - UG892

Vivado Design Suite User Guide: Design Flows Overview (UG892)

Document ID
UG892
Release Date
2026-06-23
Version
2026.1 English

Design checkpoints capture snapshots of your design in its current state. The checkpoint stores the netlist, constraints, and implementation results.

Use design checkpoints to do the following:

  • Restore your design.
  • Perform design analysis.
  • Define constraints.
  • Continue through the design flow.

Write design checkpoints at critical points in the flow for design analysis and constraints definition. Read design checkpoints to restore the design for debugging issues. A design checkpoint fully saves the design in its current implementation state.

You can run the design through the remaining flow using Tcl commands. However, you cannot add new sources to the design.

Note: Use the following Tcl commands to write and read design checkpoints:
  • write_checkpoint <file_name>.dcp
  • read_checkpoint <file_name>.dcp
To view a checkpoint use the open_checkpoint <file_name>.dcp Tcl command. Refer to the Vivado Design Suite Tcl Command Reference Guide (UG835) for more details.