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Synopsys opened embARC.org in 2015 as an online software and documentation hub for its ARC processor architecture. It offered open-source drivers, operating systems, middleware, documentation, forums and access to experts—but it did not make ARC processor IP itself open source. ARC’s differentiator was that chip designers could configure cores and add custom instruction-set extensions.

What did Synopsys open online?

Synopsys inaugurated embARC.org on September 3, 2015, describing it as an open software platform for ARC processors and Internet of Things applications. The site brought together software components and practical resources intended to help developers work with ARC-based systems, rather than opening the underlying processor IP. EE Times reported the launch.

The initial announcement included open-source drivers, operating systems and middleware, along with documentation, forums and access to experts. A contemporaneous report also described an ARC EM Starter Kit: a $99 software development board with pre-installed FPGA images of ARC EM processors, peripherals and a software package. That is the reported 2015 price and kit configuration, not confirmation of current availability.

Is the ARC processor architecture open source?

No—not in the sense that embARC’s open-source software made the processor IP freely available for anyone to copy, modify and manufacture. The 2015 launch concerned an online platform for software and support around ARC; Synopsys continued to offer ARC processor cores as licensable IP. The distinction matters: open-source software can run on a processor whose design and licensing remain proprietary.

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ARC’s notable design feature was configurability. Synopsys’ ARChitect processor configurator let designers analyze a task, select extensions or create their own ISA extensions, including additional instructions, registers and functionality. That gave chip designers options to tailor a core without making the core’s IP open source. EE Times’ launch coverage described the architecture and configurator.

What software and processor families did embARC support?

Synopsys’ 2017 expansion described embARC as offering free and open-source software and tools, drivers, middleware and operating systems including FreeRTOS, the Zephyr Project and Linux. The platform also provided upstream content, documentation, GitHub repositories and mailing lists. Its stated processor support included ARC EM, ARC SEM and ARC HS, and it added OpenThread for digital-home applications. Synopsys’ 2017 announcement lists those ecosystem components.

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These were software and developer resources associated with supported ARC processors; their presence did not make every ARC core, tool or support service open source. Availability and support channels may change over time.

How widely was ARC used?

In 2015, Synopsys reported more than 190 companies licensed ARC cores and that products using ARC cores exceeded 1.5 billion units per year. EE Times attributed both figures to Synopsys. They indicate the scale claimed at the time, not current adoption or a measure of performance against another architecture. The contemporaneous report gives the figures.

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How did ARC evolve into ARCv3 and ARC-V?

ARC HS5x and HS6x: ARCv3

In 2020, Synopsys introduced ARC HS5x and HS6x processor IP based on the ARCv3 ISA. The HS6x family added 64-bit processing, supported physical and virtual address spaces, and scaled to as many as 12 cores. Synopsys cited support from MetaWare, GCC, GDB and related tools. Synopsys’ 2020 announcement describes the processor family and tool support.

ARC-V: processor IP based on RISC-V

In 2023, Synopsys announced ARC-V, a family of processor IP based on the RISC-V ISA and Synopsys’ existing ARC microarchitecture. ARC-V therefore connects ARC’s design lineage with the RISC-V instruction-set architecture; it is not simply another name for the earlier ARC ISA. Synopsys’ processor-solutions page lists ARC-V RISC-V processors alongside 32- and 64-bit CPU IP, DSP and NPU IP, subsystems and software tools. It also describes third-party and open-source software access through the ARC Access Program and embARC. See Synopsys’ processor-solutions overview and its 2023 ARC-V announcement.

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Ownership and support arrangements are time-sensitive. The 2023 investor-release page states that GlobalFoundries acquired Synopsys’ Processor Solutions business on June 1, 2026. For current product names, licensing, support channels or development-kit availability, check the relevant provider’s latest information rather than assuming that older Synopsys announcements remain current. The investor-release page carries the acquisition disclaimer.

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Can you buy an ARC EM development kit?

A 2015 EE Times report named the ARC EM Starter Kit and gave its price as $99 at that time. It described a software development board with pre-installed FPGA images of ARC EM processors, peripherals and a software package. That historical report does not establish whether the kit is sold today, whether the same bundle remains available, or what it would cost now. Check with the current processor-business owner or an authorized distributor before planning a purchase.

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