A design entity that is not below any other design entity in a project hierarchy. A top-level design entity can contain any number of lower-level design entities (or, "subdesigns"), and is the "parent entity" for the lower-level design entities.

You can set a top-level design entity as the compilation focus. You can also set a lower-level design entity as the compilation focus; however, when you do so, the Compiler uses the parameters and assignments from the top-level, parent entity of that lower-level design entity.

You can set a top-level design entity as the simulation focus. When you try to set a lower-level design entity as the simulation focus, the Quartus^® II software automatically creates a top-level design entity for that lower-level design entity, and sets the new top-level design entity as the simulation focus.

When you create a new project, the Quartus II software automatically assigns the project's top-level design entity the same name as the project; however, you can rename the top-level design entity or add additional top-level design entities to the project.

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