Optimization Mode

The following options direct the focus of Compiler optimization efforts during synthesis. Specify a Balanced strategy, or optimize for Performance, Area, Routability, Power, or Compile Time. The Compiler targets the optimization goal you specify.

Table 1. Optimization Modes (Compiler Settings Page)
Optimization Mode	Description
Balanced (normal flow)	The Compiler optimizes synthesis for balanced implementation that respects timing constraints.
High Performance Effort	The Compiler increases the timing optimization effort during placement and routing, and enables timing-related Physical Synthesis optimizations (per register optimization settings). Each additional optimization can increase compilation time.
High Performance with Maximum Placement Effort	Enables the same Compiler optimizations as High Performance Effort, with additional placement optimization effort.
Superior Performance	Enables the same Compiler optimizations as High Performance Effort, and adds more optimizations during Analysis & Synthesis to maximize design performance with a potential increase to logic area. If design utilization is already very high, this option may lead to difficulty in fitting, which can also negatively affect overall optimization quality.
Superior Performance with Maximum Placement Effort	Enables the same Compiler optimizations as Superior Performance, with additional placement optimization effort.
Aggressive Area	The Compiler makes aggressive effort to reduce the device area required to implement the design at the potential expense of design performance.
High Placement Routability Effort	The Compiler makes high effort to route the design at the potential expense of design area, performance, and compilation time. The Compiler spends additional time reducing routing utilization, which can improve routability and also saves dynamic power.
High Packing Routability Effort	The Compiler makes high effort to route the design at the potential expense of design area, performance, and compilation time. The Compiler spends additional time packing registers, which can improve routability and also saves dynamic power.
Optimize Netlist for Routability	The Compiler implements netlist modifications to increase routability at the possible expense of performance.
High Power Effort	The Compiler makes high effort to optimize synthesis for low power. High Power Effort increases synthesis run time.
Aggressive Power	Makes aggressive effort to optimize synthesis for low power. The Compiler further reduces the routing usage of signals with the highest specified or estimated toggle rates, saving additional dynamic power but potentially affecting performance.
Aggressive Compile Time	Reduces the compile time required to implement the design with reduced effort and fewer performance optimizations. This option also disables some detailed reporting functions. Note: Turning on Aggressive Compile Time enables Intel^® Quartus^® Prime Settings File (.qsf) settings which cannot be overridden by other .qsf settings.

Note: If you enable extended optimization modes for Design Space Explorer II by use of .qsf assignments, and then subsequently open the Compiler Settings tab for that project revision, the Compiler Settings tab indicates that the extended optimization mode reverts to one of the Compiler Settings tab Optimization Modes.