refout

Refout, short for reference output, is a term used in multiple technical contexts to denote a source or file that provides a standard or expected output against which other data are compared or used in a circuit.

In hardware verification and digital testing, refout commonly refers to a reference output file or data stream that contains the canonical results produced by a reference model or reference implementation. Test suites generate or compare against refout to detect regressions, ensure conformance, or validate behavior of a design under test. Refout data may be plain text, binary, or a structured format, and is often used in regression tests, simulations, and hardware-in-the-loop setups.

In electronics hardware, refout can denote a physical pin on a device that provides a reference voltage output. Many precision voltage reference ICs label this pin REFOUT (or VREF in some parts). The REFOUT pin supplies a stable reference voltage to other circuitry, enabling consistent biasing, comparison, or calibration within an analog or mixed-signal system. The exact behavior—voltage level, sourcing capability, and whether the pin is buffered—varies by device and manufacturer.

In software and algorithm testing, refout may refer more generally to a stored set of expected results used to verify computations, cryptographic routines, or signal processing algorithms. The term underscores the role of a “reference” outcome used to judge current outputs.

See also: reference model, golden data, regression testing.