In the last 20 years logic simulator applications have become increasingly popular with electronic design engineers.  The silicon chip has become a more complex device forcing the engineer to make more use of computers for further development.

One of the problems with building hardware is that, once built, it is not easy for it to be changed.  In the case of the silicon chip, it is impossible to change it once built. However, software running on a computer is easily modified at a fraction of the cost. It is exceptionally cheaper to find a fault at the time of design or/and testing. Simulation is the process of building a model of a circuit in software and then to have the application imitate the circuit in the way it would act in the real world.  Therefore, simulation can be used to test circuits before it is ever built.  When errors are found changes can be made and further runs made until a correct design is achieved.  It is possible to try out alternate designs, sometimes called 'playing what if games'.  This is where a software application of this type can become a useful teaching tool for digital electronic circuit fundamentals.