.v File — V / Verilog Source

The .v extension is shared by two different technologies: the V programming language and Verilog hardware description language. V (vlang) is a simple, fast compiled language designed for developing maintainable software, featuring C-like syntax with modern ergonomics including autofree memory management, built-in concurrency, and fast compilation. V compiles to C and produces small native binaries with no runtime dependencies. Verilog, on the other hand, is a hardware description language (HDL) used to model electronic systems at the register-transfer level (RTL). Verilog files describe digital circuits through modules, always blocks, wire/register declarations, and behavioral/structural modeling. Verilog is essential for FPGA programming, ASIC design, and digital logic simulation. It was standardized as IEEE 1364 and forms the basis of SystemVerilog (IEEE 1800). Context determines which language a .v file contains — hardware projects use Verilog while software projects use V. Both are text-based and can be edited in any text editor. Verilog remains one of the two dominant HDLs (alongside VHDL) used in semiconductor and electronics industries worldwide.