= Fabless manufacturing
{wiki}
= Fabless
{synonym}
In the past, most computer designers would have their own <fabs>.
But once designs started getting very complicated, it started to make sense to separate concerns between designers and <fabs>.
What this means is that design companies would primarily write <register transfer level>, then use <electronic design automation> tools to get a final manufacturable chip, and then send that to the <fab>.
It is in this point of time that <TSMC> came along, and benefied and helped establish this trend.
The term "Fabless" could in theory refer to other areas of industry besides the <semiconductor industry>, but it is mostly used in that context.