The use of communication complexity based logic synthesis when configuring programmable logic devices (PLDs) is discussed. Configuration of a PLD involves the two processes of logic synthesis and logic embedding. Since the allowable PLD logic primitives usually include a very large number of gates, the processes of logic synthesis and technology mapping cannot be completely decoupled as they normally are in traditional logic synthesis systems. The proposed communication-complexity-based logic synthesis tool has the advantage of not completely decoupling these two processes. It is more suited to PLD configuring than other multilevel logic synthesis methods. >