---
title: openroad(0)
date: 2024/02/09
---

# NAME

openroad - OpenROAD command-line-interface.

# SYNOPSIS

openroad [-help] [-version] [-no_init] [-no_splash]
       [-exit] [-gui] [-threads count|max]
       [-log file_name] [-metrics file_name] [-python]
       cmd_file


# DESCRIPTION

The **openroad** command is the command-line interface for OpenROAD, an open-source initiative for chip design and optimization. It provides a range of options to control its behavior and execute commands specified in the cmd_file.

# OPTIONS

`-help`: Display help information.

`-version`: Display version information.

`-no_init`: Skip initialization steps.

`-no_splash`: Do not show the license splash at startup.

`-exit`: Exit after executing commands in cmd_file.

`-gui`: Launch the graphical user interface (GUI).

`-threads  count|max`:  Specify  the number of threads to
use (or use max available).

`-log file_name`: Log output to the specified file.

`-metrics file_name`: Save  performance  metrics  to  the
specified file.

`-python`: Execute the cmd_file as a Python script.

# ARGUMENTS

`cmd_file`: The command file containing OpenROAD commands to be executed.

# EXAMPLES

**openroad -help**: Prints the help information

**openroad -version -exit**: Prints  the  version  information, and exits the program thereafter.

**openroad  -threads max -log test.log -metrics test.metrics**: Prints the log and metric 
respectively to `test.log` and `test.metrics`. Also runs the script with maximum
 available number of threads.

**openroad -gui**: Launches OpenROAD GUI, which further interactive Tcl commands can be run.

# TCL COMMANDS

These  Tcl-based  commands are callable from within the
OpenROAD binary.

- read_lef [-tech] [-library] filename

  - Read Library Exchange Format (.lef) files.

  - tech: Technology-specific information

  - library: .lib files

- read_def filename

  - Read Design Exchange Format (.def) files.

- write_def [-version 5.8|5.7|5.6|5.5|5.4|5.3] filename
  - Write Design Exchange Format (.def) files.

  - version 5.8|5.7|5.6|5.5|5.4|5.3: Corresponding  DEF
    version to use.

- read_verilog filename

  - Read Verilog (.v) input file.

- write_verilog filename

  - Write Verilog (.v) file based on current database.

- read_db filename

  - Read OpenDB (.odb) database files.

- write_db filename

  - Write OpenDB (.odb) database files.

- write_abstract_lef filename

  - Write abstract Library Exchange Format (.lef) files
    based on current database.

- write_cdl [-include_fillers] -masters out_filename

  - Write Circuit Design Language (.cdl) netlist file.

# ENVIRONMENT

# FILES

# SEE ALSO

# HISTORY

# BUGS