Covering both digital systems and VHDL in parallel, this invaluable reference seamlessly integrates digital electronics and systems with their implementation on programmable logic chips using VHDL. It introduces VHDL as a way to study, analyze and implement digital systems particularly through the use of Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs) and Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). Designed to be a broad introduction to the field, the text starts with fundamental concepts and builds upon them to deliver an in-depth treatment of both topics. Dozens of examples and thousands of lines of VHDL code illustrate both the basics and the intricacies of using VHDL to create digital circuits.