Migrate to DependencyAPI

Co-authored-by: Schuyler Eldridge <schuyler.eldridge@ibm.com>
Co-authored-by: Albert Magyar <albert.magyar@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Schuyler Eldridge <schuyler.eldridge@ibm.com>

77 files changed, 1957 insertions, 406 deletions

diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/AddDescriptionNodes.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/AddDescriptionNodes.scala
index 2cd8b9f7..dac0e513 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/AddDescriptionNodes.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/AddDescriptionNodes.scala
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package firrtl
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.annotations._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 
 case class DescriptionAnnotation(named: Named, description: String) extends Annotation {
   def update(renames: RenameMap): Seq[DescriptionAnnotation] = {
@@ -67,9 +68,25 @@ private case class DescribedMod(description: Description,
   * @note should only be used by VerilogEmitter, described nodes will
   *       break other transforms.
   */
-class AddDescriptionNodes extends Transform {
-  def inputForm = LowForm
-  def outputForm = LowForm
+class AddDescriptionNodes extends Transform with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+  def inputForm = UnknownForm
+  def outputForm = UnknownForm
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized ++
+    Seq( Dependency[firrtl.transforms.BlackBoxSourceHelper],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.FixAddingNegativeLiterals],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.InlineBitExtractionsTransform],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.InlineCastsTransform],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.LegalizeClocksTransform],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.FlattenRegUpdate],
+         Dependency(passes.VerilogModulusCleanup),
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.VerilogRename],
+         Dependency(firrtl.passes.VerilogPrep) )
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormOptimized
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
 
   def onStmt(compMap: Map[String, Seq[String]])(stmt: Statement): Statement = {
     stmt.map(onStmt(compMap)) match {
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/Compiler.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/Compiler.scala
index 2c5600de..3d42e9d5 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/Compiler.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/Compiler.scala
@@ -7,11 +7,13 @@ import java.io.Writer
 
 
 import scala.collection.mutable
+
 import firrtl.annotations._
 import firrtl.ir.Circuit
 import firrtl.Utils.throwInternalError
 import firrtl.annotations.transforms.{EliminateTargetPaths, ResolvePaths}
-import firrtl.options.{StageUtils, TransformLike}
+import firrtl.options.{DependencyAPI, Dependency, PreservesAll, StageUtils, TransformLike}
+import firrtl.stage.transforms.CatchCustomTransformExceptions
 
 /** Container of all annotations for a Firrtl compiler */
 class AnnotationSeq private (private[firrtl] val underlying: List[Annotation]) {
@@ -98,6 +100,7 @@ object CircuitState {
   * strictly supersets of the "lower" forms. Thus, that any transform that
   * operates on [[HighForm]] can also operate on [[MidForm]] or [[LowForm]]
   */
+@deprecated("CircuitForm will be removed in 1.3. Switch to Seq[TransformDependency] to specify dependencies.", "1.2")
 sealed abstract class CircuitForm(private val value: Int) extends Ordered[CircuitForm] {
   // Note that value is used only to allow comparisons
   def compare(that: CircuitForm): Int = this.value - that.value
@@ -116,6 +119,7 @@ sealed abstract class CircuitForm(private val value: Int) extends Ordered[Circui
   *
   * See [[CDefMemory]] and [[CDefMPort]]
   */
+@deprecated("Form-based dependencies will be removed in 1.3. Please migrate to the new Dependency API.", "1.2")
 final case object ChirrtlForm extends CircuitForm(value = 3) {
   val outputSuffix: String = ".fir"
 }
@@ -127,6 +131,7 @@ final case object ChirrtlForm extends CircuitForm(value = 3) {
   *
   * Also see [[firrtl.ir]]
   */
+@deprecated("Form-based dependencies will be removed in 1.3. Please migrate to the new Dependency API.", "1.2")
 final case object HighForm extends CircuitForm(2) {
   val outputSuffix: String = ".hi.fir"
 }
@@ -138,6 +143,7 @@ final case object HighForm extends CircuitForm(2) {
   *  - All whens must be removed
   *  - There can only be a single connection to any element
   */
+@deprecated("Form-based dependencies will be removed in 1.3. Please migrate to the new Dependency API.", "1.2")
 final case object MidForm extends CircuitForm(1) {
   val outputSuffix: String = ".mid.fir"
 }
@@ -148,6 +154,7 @@ final case object MidForm extends CircuitForm(1) {
   *  - All aggregate types (vector/bundle) must have been removed
   *  - All implicit truncations must be made explicit
   */
+@deprecated("Form-based dependencies will be removed in 1.3. Please migrate to the new Dependency API.", "1.2")
 final case object LowForm extends CircuitForm(0) {
   val outputSuffix: String = ".lo.fir"
 }
@@ -163,6 +170,7 @@ final case object LowForm extends CircuitForm(0) {
   * TODO(azidar): Replace with PreviousForm, which more explicitly encodes
   * this requirement.
   */
+@deprecated("Form-based dependencies will be removed in 1.3. Please migrate to the new Dependency API.", "1.2")
 final case object UnknownForm extends CircuitForm(-1) {
   override def compare(that: CircuitForm): Int = { sys.error("Illegal to compare UnknownForm"); 0 }
 
@@ -171,13 +179,22 @@ final case object UnknownForm extends CircuitForm(-1) {
 // scalastyle:on magic.number
 
 /** The basic unit of operating on a Firrtl AST */
-abstract class Transform extends TransformLike[CircuitState] {
+trait Transform extends TransformLike[CircuitState] with DependencyAPI[Transform] {
+
   /** A convenience function useful for debugging and error messages */
   def name: String = this.getClass.getName
   /** The [[firrtl.CircuitForm]] that this transform requires to operate on */
+  @deprecated(
+    "InputForm/OutputForm will be removed in 1.3. Use DependencyAPI methods (prerequisites, dependents, invalidates)",
+    "1.2")
   def inputForm: CircuitForm
+
   /** The [[firrtl.CircuitForm]] that this transform outputs */
+  @deprecated(
+    "InputForm/OutputForm will be removed in 1.3. Use DependencyAPI methods (prerequisites, dependents, invalidates)",
+    "1.2")
   def outputForm: CircuitForm
+
   /** Perform the transform, encode renaming with RenameMap, and can
     *   delete annotations
     * Called by [[runTransform]].
@@ -185,10 +202,65 @@ abstract class Transform extends TransformLike[CircuitState] {
     * @param state Input Firrtl AST
     * @return A transformed Firrtl AST
     */
-  protected def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState
+  def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState
 
   def transform(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = execute(state)
 
+  import firrtl.{ChirrtlForm => C, HighForm => H, MidForm => M, LowForm => L, UnknownForm => U}
+  import firrtl.stage.Forms
+
+  override def prerequisites: Seq[Dependency[Transform]] = inputForm match {
+    case C => Nil
+    case H => Forms.Deduped
+    case M => Forms.MidForm
+    case L => Forms.LowForm
+    case U => Nil
+  }
+
+  override def optionalPrerequisites: Seq[Dependency[Transform]] = inputForm match {
+    case L => Forms.LowFormOptimized
+    case _ => Seq.empty
+  }
+
+  private lazy val fullCompilerSet = new mutable.LinkedHashSet[Dependency[Transform]] ++ Forms.VerilogOptimized
+
+  override def dependents: Seq[Dependency[Transform]] = {
+    val lowEmitters = Dependency[LowFirrtlEmitter] :: Dependency[VerilogEmitter] :: Dependency[MinimumVerilogEmitter] ::
+      Dependency[SystemVerilogEmitter] :: Nil
+
+    val emitters = inputForm match {
+      case C => Dependency[ChirrtlEmitter]      :: Dependency[HighFirrtlEmitter]   :: Dependency[MiddleFirrtlEmitter] :: lowEmitters
+      case H => Dependency[HighFirrtlEmitter]   :: Dependency[MiddleFirrtlEmitter] :: lowEmitters
+      case M => Dependency[MiddleFirrtlEmitter] :: lowEmitters
+      case L => lowEmitters
+      case U => Nil
+    }
+
+    val selfDep = Dependency.fromTransform(this)
+
+    inputForm match {
+      case C => (fullCompilerSet                           ++ emitters - selfDep).toSeq
+      case H => (fullCompilerSet -- Forms.Deduped          ++ emitters - selfDep).toSeq
+      case M => (fullCompilerSet -- Forms.MidForm          ++ emitters - selfDep).toSeq
+      case L => (fullCompilerSet -- Forms.LowFormOptimized ++ emitters - selfDep).toSeq
+      case U => Nil
+    }
+  }
+
+  private lazy val highOutputInvalidates = fullCompilerSet -- Forms.MinimalHighForm
+  private lazy val midOutputInvalidates = fullCompilerSet -- Forms.MidForm
+
+  override def invalidates(a: Transform): Boolean = {
+    (inputForm, outputForm) match {
+      case (U, _) | (_, U)  => true  // invalidate everything
+      case (i, o) if i >= o => false // invalidate nothing
+      case (_, C)           => true  // invalidate everything
+      case (_, H)           => highOutputInvalidates(Dependency.fromTransform(a))
+      case (_, M)           => midOutputInvalidates(Dependency.fromTransform(a))
+      case (_, L)           => false // invalidate nothing
+    }
+  }
+
   /** Convenience method to get annotations relevant to this Transform
     *
     * @param state The [[CircuitState]] form which to extract annotations
@@ -309,7 +381,7 @@ trait ResolvedAnnotationPaths {
 }
 
 /** Defines old API for Emission. Deprecated */
-trait Emitter extends Transform {
+trait Emitter extends Transform with PreservesAll[Transform] {
   @deprecated("Use emission annotations instead", "firrtl 1.0")
   def emit(state: CircuitState, writer: Writer): Unit
 
@@ -324,6 +396,7 @@ object CompilerUtils extends LazyLogging {
     * @param outputForm [[CircuitForm]] to lower to
     * @return Sequence of transforms that will lower if outputForm is lower than inputForm
     */
+  @deprecated("Use a TransformManager requesting which transforms you want to run. This will be removed in 1.3.", "1.2")
   def getLoweringTransforms(inputForm: CircuitForm, outputForm: CircuitForm): Seq[Transform] = {
     // If outputForm is equal-to or higher than inputForm, nothing to lower
     if (outputForm >= inputForm) {
@@ -333,9 +406,8 @@ object CompilerUtils extends LazyLogging {
         case ChirrtlForm =>
           Seq(new ChirrtlToHighFirrtl) ++ getLoweringTransforms(HighForm, outputForm)
         case HighForm =>
-          Seq(new IRToWorkingIR, new ResolveAndCheck,
-              new transforms.DedupModules, new HighFirrtlToMiddleFirrtl) ++
-              getLoweringTransforms(MidForm, outputForm)
+          Seq(new IRToWorkingIR, new ResolveAndCheck, new transforms.DedupModules, new HighFirrtlToMiddleFirrtl) ++
+            getLoweringTransforms(MidForm, outputForm)
         case MidForm => Seq(new MiddleFirrtlToLowFirrtl) ++ getLoweringTransforms(LowForm, outputForm)
         case LowForm => throwInternalError("getLoweringTransforms - LowForm") // should be caught by if above
         case UnknownForm => throwInternalError("getLoweringTransforms - UnknownForm") // should be caught by if above
@@ -374,6 +446,7 @@ object CompilerUtils extends LazyLogging {
     * inputForm of a latter transforms is equal to or lower than the outputForm
     * of the previous transform.
     */
+  @deprecated("Use a TransformManager with custom targets. This will be removed in 1.3.", "1.2")
   def mergeTransforms(lowering: Seq[Transform], custom: Seq[Transform]): Seq[Transform] = {
     custom
       .sortWith{
@@ -392,6 +465,7 @@ object CompilerUtils extends LazyLogging {
 
 }
 
+@deprecated("Use a TransformManager requesting which transforms you want to run. This will be removed in 1.3.", "1.2")
 trait Compiler extends LazyLogging {
   def emitter: Emitter
 
@@ -455,15 +529,6 @@ trait Compiler extends LazyLogging {
     compile(state.copy(annotations = emitAnno +: state.annotations), emitter +: customTransforms)
   }
 
-  private def isCustomTransform(xform: Transform): Boolean = {
-    def getTopPackage(pack: java.lang.Package): java.lang.Package =
-      Package.getPackage(pack.getName.split('.').head)
-    // We use the top package of the Driver to get the top firrtl package
-    Option(xform.getClass.getPackage).map { p =>
-      getTopPackage(p) != firrtl.Driver.getClass.getPackage
-    }.getOrElse(true)
-  }
-
   /** Perform compilation
     *
     * Emission will only be performed if [[EmitAnnotation]]s are present
@@ -482,7 +547,8 @@ trait Compiler extends LazyLogging {
           xform.runTransform(in)
         } catch {
           // Wrap exceptions from custom transforms so they are reported as such
-          case e: Exception if isCustomTransform(xform) => throw CustomTransformException(e)
+          case e: Exception if CatchCustomTransformExceptions.isCustomTransform(xform) =>
+            throw CustomTransformException(e)
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/Driver.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/Driver.scala
index babcd406..d9d35ebb 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/Driver.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/Driver.scala
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import firrtl.transforms._
 import firrtl.Utils.throwInternalError
 import firrtl.stage.{FirrtlExecutionResultView, FirrtlStage}
 import firrtl.stage.phases.DriverCompatibility
-import firrtl.options.{StageUtils, Phase, Viewer}
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, Phase, PhaseManager, StageUtils, Viewer}
 import firrtl.options.phases.DeletedWrapper
 
 
@@ -210,13 +210,17 @@ object Driver {
 
     val annos = optionsManager.firrtlOptions.toAnnotations ++ optionsManager.commonOptions.toAnnotations
 
-    val phases: Seq[Phase] =
-      Seq( new DriverCompatibility.AddImplicitAnnotationFile,
-           new DriverCompatibility.AddImplicitFirrtlFile,
-           new DriverCompatibility.AddImplicitOutputFile,
-           new DriverCompatibility.AddImplicitEmitter,
-           new FirrtlStage )
+    val phases: Seq[Phase] = {
+      import DriverCompatibility._
+      new PhaseManager(
+        Seq( Dependency[AddImplicitFirrtlFile],
+             Dependency[AddImplicitAnnotationFile],
+             Dependency[AddImplicitOutputFile],
+             Dependency[AddImplicitEmitter],
+             Dependency[FirrtlStage] ))
+        .transformOrder
         .map(DeletedWrapper(_))
+    }
 
     val annosx = try {
       phases.foldLeft(annos)( (a, p) => p.transform(a) )
@@ -257,4 +261,3 @@ object Driver {
     execute(args)
   }
 }
-
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/Emitter.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/Emitter.scala
index 12ef17c2..36734d81 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/Emitter.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/Emitter.scala
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import firrtl.WrappedExpression._
 import Utils._
 import MemPortUtils.{memPortField, memType}
 import firrtl.options.{HasShellOptions, ShellOption, StageUtils, PhaseException, Unserializable}
-import firrtl.stage.RunFirrtlTransformAnnotation
+import firrtl.stage.{RunFirrtlTransformAnnotation, TransformManager}
 // Datastructures
 import scala.collection.mutable.ArrayBuffer
 
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ case class VRandom(width: BigInt) extends Expression {
 class VerilogEmitter extends SeqTransform with Emitter {
   def inputForm = LowForm
   def outputForm = LowForm
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormOptimized
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
+
   val outputSuffix = ".v"
   val tab = "  "
   def AND(e1: WrappedExpression, e2: WrappedExpression): Expression = {
@@ -973,19 +978,7 @@ class VerilogEmitter extends SeqTransform with Emitter {
   }
 
   /** Preamble for every emitted Verilog file */
-  def transforms = Seq(
-    new BlackBoxSourceHelper,
-    new FixAddingNegativeLiterals,
-    new ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic,
-    new InlineBitExtractionsTransform,
-    new InlineCastsTransform,
-    new LegalizeClocksTransform,
-    new FlattenRegUpdate,
-    new DeadCodeElimination,
-    passes.VerilogModulusCleanup,
-    new VerilogRename,
-    passes.VerilogPrep,
-    new AddDescriptionNodes)
+  def transforms = new TransformManager(firrtl.stage.Forms.VerilogOptimized, prerequisites).flattenedTransformOrder
 
   def emit(state: CircuitState, writer: Writer): Unit = {
     val circuit = runTransforms(state).circuit
@@ -1033,16 +1026,18 @@ class VerilogEmitter extends SeqTransform with Emitter {
 
 class MinimumVerilogEmitter extends VerilogEmitter with Emitter {
 
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized
 
-  override def transforms = super.transforms.filter{
-    case _: DeadCodeElimination => false
-    case _ => true
-  }
+  override def transforms = new TransformManager(firrtl.stage.Forms.VerilogMinimumOptimized, prerequisites)
+    .flattenedTransformOrder
 
 }
 
 class SystemVerilogEmitter extends VerilogEmitter {
-  StageUtils.dramaticWarning("SystemVerilog Emitter is the same as the Verilog Emitter!")
-
   override val outputSuffix: String = ".sv"
+
+  override def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
+    StageUtils.dramaticWarning("SystemVerilog Emitter is the same as the Verilog Emitter!")
+    super.execute(state)
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/LoweringCompilers.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/LoweringCompilers.scala
index 14a8e637..b3d7d087 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/LoweringCompilers.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/LoweringCompilers.scala
@@ -4,53 +4,39 @@ package firrtl
 
 import firrtl.transforms.IdentityTransform
 import firrtl.options.StageUtils
+import firrtl.stage.{Forms, TransformManager}
 
+@deprecated("Use a TransformManager or some other Stage/Phase class. Will be removed in 1.3.", "1.2")
 sealed abstract class CoreTransform extends SeqTransform
 
 /** This transforms "CHIRRTL", the chisel3 IR, to "Firrtl". Note the resulting
   * circuit has only IR nodes, not WIR.
   */
+@deprecated("Use a TransformManager to handle lowering. Will be removed in 1.3.", "1.2")
 class ChirrtlToHighFirrtl extends CoreTransform {
   def inputForm = ChirrtlForm
   def outputForm = HighForm
-  def transforms = Seq(
-    passes.CheckChirrtl,
-    passes.CInferTypes,
-    passes.CInferMDir,
-    passes.RemoveCHIRRTL)
+  def transforms = new TransformManager(Forms.MinimalHighForm, Forms.ChirrtlForm).flattenedTransformOrder
 }
 
 /** Converts from the bare intermediate representation (ir.scala)
   * to a working representation (WIR.scala)
   */
+@deprecated("Use a TransformManager to handle lowering. Will be removed in 1.3.", "1.2")
 class IRToWorkingIR extends CoreTransform {
   def inputForm = HighForm
   def outputForm = HighForm
-  def transforms = Seq(passes.ToWorkingIR)
+  def transforms = new TransformManager(Forms.WorkingIR, Forms.MinimalHighForm).flattenedTransformOrder
 }
 
 /** Resolves types, kinds, and flows, and checks the circuit legality.
   * Operates on working IR nodes and high Firrtl.
   */
+@deprecated("Use a TransformManager to handle lowering. Will be removed in 1.3.", "1.2")
 class ResolveAndCheck extends CoreTransform {
   def inputForm = HighForm
   def outputForm = HighForm
-  def transforms = Seq(
-    passes.CheckHighForm,
-    passes.ResolveKinds,
-    passes.InferTypes,
-    passes.CheckTypes,
-    passes.Uniquify,
-    passes.ResolveKinds,
-    passes.InferTypes,
-    passes.ResolveFlows,
-    passes.CheckFlows,
-    new passes.InferBinaryPoints(),
-    new passes.TrimIntervals(),
-    new passes.InferWidths,
-    passes.CheckWidths,
-    new firrtl.transforms.InferResets,
-    passes.CheckTypes)
+  def transforms = new TransformManager(Forms.Resolved, Forms.WorkingIR).flattenedTransformOrder
 }
 
 /** Expands aggregate connects, removes dynamic accesses, and when
@@ -58,78 +44,40 @@ class ResolveAndCheck extends CoreTransform {
   * well-formed graph.
   * Operates on working IR nodes.
   */
+@deprecated("Use a TransformManager to handle lowering. Will be removed in 1.3.", "1.2")
 class HighFirrtlToMiddleFirrtl extends CoreTransform {
   def inputForm = HighForm
   def outputForm = MidForm
-  def transforms = Seq(
-    passes.PullMuxes,
-    passes.ReplaceAccesses,
-    passes.ExpandConnects,
-    passes.RemoveAccesses,
-    passes.Uniquify,
-    passes.ExpandWhens,
-    passes.CheckInitialization,
-    passes.ResolveKinds,
-    passes.InferTypes,
-    passes.CheckTypes,
-    passes.ResolveFlows,
-    new passes.InferWidths,
-    passes.CheckWidths,
-    new passes.RemoveIntervals(),
-    passes.ConvertFixedToSInt,
-    passes.ZeroWidth,
-    passes.InferTypes)
+  def transforms = new TransformManager(Forms.MidForm, Forms.Deduped).flattenedTransformOrder
 }
 
 /** Expands all aggregate types into many ground-typed components. Must
   * accept a well-formed graph of only middle Firrtl features.
   * Operates on working IR nodes.
   */
+@deprecated("Use a TransformManager to handle lowering. Will be removed in 1.3.", "1.2")
 class MiddleFirrtlToLowFirrtl extends CoreTransform {
   def inputForm = MidForm
   def outputForm = LowForm
-  def transforms = Seq(
-    passes.LowerTypes,
-    passes.ResolveKinds,
-    passes.InferTypes,
-    passes.ResolveFlows,
-    new passes.InferWidths,
-    passes.Legalize,
-    new firrtl.transforms.RemoveReset,
-    new firrtl.transforms.CheckCombLoops,
-    new checks.CheckResets,
-    new firrtl.transforms.RemoveWires)
+  def transforms = new TransformManager(Forms.LowForm, Forms.MidForm).flattenedTransformOrder
 }
 
 /** Runs a series of optimization passes on LowFirrtl
   * @note This is currently required for correct Verilog emission
   * TODO Fix the above note
   */
+@deprecated("Use a TransformManager to handle lowering. Will be removed in 1.3.", "1.2")
 class LowFirrtlOptimization extends CoreTransform {
   def inputForm = LowForm
   def outputForm = LowForm
-  def transforms = Seq(
-    passes.RemoveValidIf,
-    new firrtl.transforms.ConstantPropagation,
-    passes.PadWidths,
-    new firrtl.transforms.ConstantPropagation,
-    passes.Legalize,
-    passes.memlib.VerilogMemDelays, // TODO move to Verilog emitter
-    new firrtl.transforms.ConstantPropagation,
-    passes.SplitExpressions,
-    new firrtl.transforms.CombineCats,
-    passes.CommonSubexpressionElimination,
-    new firrtl.transforms.DeadCodeElimination)
+  def transforms = new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormOptimized, Forms.LowForm).flattenedTransformOrder
 }
 /** Runs runs only the optimization passes needed for Verilog emission */
+@deprecated("Use a TransformManager to handle lowering. Will be removed in 1.3.", "1.2")
 class MinimumLowFirrtlOptimization extends CoreTransform {
   def inputForm = LowForm
   def outputForm = LowForm
-  def transforms = Seq(
-    passes.RemoveValidIf,
-    passes.Legalize,
-    passes.memlib.VerilogMemDelays, // TODO move to Verilog emitter
-    passes.SplitExpressions)
+  def transforms = new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized, Forms.LowForm).flattenedTransformOrder
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/annotations/transforms/EliminateTargetPaths.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/annotations/transforms/EliminateTargetPaths.scala
index 5a729225..e741a32b 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/annotations/transforms/EliminateTargetPaths.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/annotations/transforms/EliminateTargetPaths.scala
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ class EliminateTargetPaths extends Transform {
     (cir.copy(modules = finalModuleList), renameMap)
   }
 
-  override protected def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
+  override def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
 
     val (annotations, annotationsx) = state.annotations.partition{
       case a: ResolvePaths => true
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/checks/CheckResets.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/checks/CheckResets.scala
index d6337f9e..406b7f62 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/checks/CheckResets.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/checks/CheckResets.scala
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 package firrtl.checks
 
 import firrtl._
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 import firrtl.passes.{Errors, PassException}
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.traversals.Foreachers._
@@ -25,10 +26,19 @@ object CheckResets {
 // Must run after ExpandWhens
 // Requires
 //   - static single connections of ground types
-class CheckResets extends Transform {
+class CheckResets extends Transform with PreservesAll[Transform] {
   def inputForm: CircuitForm = MidForm
   def outputForm: CircuitForm = MidForm
 
+  override val prerequisites =
+    Seq( Dependency(passes.LowerTypes),
+         Dependency(passes.Legalize),
+         Dependency(firrtl.transforms.RemoveReset) ) ++ firrtl.stage.Forms.MidForm
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = Seq(Dependency[firrtl.transforms.CheckCombLoops])
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
+
   import CheckResets._
 
   private def onStmt(regCheck: RegCheckList, drivers: DirectDriverMap)(stmt: Statement): Unit = {
@@ -72,4 +82,3 @@ class CheckResets extends Transform {
     state
   }
 }
-
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/CheckChirrtl.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/CheckChirrtl.scala
index 08237ab2..08c127da 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/CheckChirrtl.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/CheckChirrtl.scala
@@ -2,8 +2,16 @@
 
 package firrtl.passes
 
+import firrtl.Transform
 import firrtl.ir._
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
+
+object CheckChirrtl extends Pass with CheckHighFormLike with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val dependents = firrtl.stage.Forms.ChirrtlForm ++
+    Seq( Dependency(CInferTypes),
+         Dependency(CInferMDir),
+         Dependency(RemoveCHIRRTL) )
 
-object CheckChirrtl extends Pass with CheckHighFormLike {
   def errorOnChirrtl(info: Info, mname: String, s: Statement): Option[PassException] = None
 }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/CheckInitialization.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/CheckInitialization.scala
index 9fbf3eeb..63790564 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/CheckInitialization.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/CheckInitialization.scala
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import firrtl._
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Utils._
 import firrtl.traversals.Foreachers._
+import firrtl.options.PreservesAll
 
 import annotation.tailrec
 
@@ -14,7 +15,10 @@ import annotation.tailrec
   * @note This pass looks for [[firrtl.WVoid]]s left behind by [[ExpandWhens]]
   * @note Assumes single connection (ie. no last connect semantics)
   */
-object CheckInitialization extends Pass {
+object CheckInitialization extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.Resolved
+
   private case class VoidExpr(stmt: Statement, voidDeps: Seq[Expression])
 
   class RefNotInitializedException(info: Info, mname: String, name: String, trace: Seq[Statement]) extends PassException(
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/CheckWidths.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/CheckWidths.scala
index 6ceac032..b750196a 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/CheckWidths.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/CheckWidths.scala
@@ -9,8 +9,14 @@ import firrtl.traversals.Foreachers._
 import firrtl.Utils._
 import firrtl.constraint.IsKnown
 import firrtl.annotations.{CircuitTarget, ModuleTarget, Target, TargetToken}
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
+
+object CheckWidths extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = Dependency[passes.InferWidths] +: firrtl.stage.Forms.WorkingIR
+
+  override val dependents = Seq(Dependency[transforms.InferResets])
 
-object CheckWidths extends Pass {
   /** The maximum allowed width for any circuit element */
   val MaxWidth = 1000000
   val DshlMaxWidth = getUIntWidth(MaxWidth)
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/Checks.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/Checks.scala
index a5f66a55..e176bcc4 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/Checks.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/Checks.scala
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@ import firrtl.Utils._
 import firrtl.traversals.Foreachers._
 import firrtl.WrappedType._
 import firrtl.constraint.{Constraint, IsKnown}
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 
-trait CheckHighFormLike {
+trait CheckHighFormLike { this: Pass =>
   type NameSet = collection.mutable.HashSet[String]
 
   // Custom Exceptions
@@ -267,7 +268,18 @@ trait CheckHighFormLike {
   }
 }
 
-object CheckHighForm extends Pass with CheckHighFormLike {
+object CheckHighForm extends Pass with CheckHighFormLike with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.WorkingIR
+
+  override val dependents =
+    Seq( Dependency(passes.ResolveKinds),
+         Dependency(passes.InferTypes),
+         Dependency(passes.Uniquify),
+         Dependency(passes.ResolveFlows),
+         Dependency[passes.InferWidths],
+         Dependency[transforms.InferResets] )
+
   class IllegalChirrtlMemException(info: Info, mname: String, name: String) extends PassException(
     s"$info: [module $mname] Memory $name has not been properly lowered from Chirrtl IR.")
 
@@ -279,7 +291,17 @@ object CheckHighForm extends Pass with CheckHighFormLike {
     Some(new IllegalChirrtlMemException(info, mname, memName))
   }
 }
-object CheckTypes extends Pass {
+
+object CheckTypes extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = Dependency(InferTypes) +: firrtl.stage.Forms.WorkingIR
+
+  override val dependents =
+    Seq( Dependency(passes.Uniquify),
+         Dependency(passes.ResolveFlows),
+         Dependency(passes.CheckFlows),
+         Dependency[passes.InferWidths],
+         Dependency(passes.CheckWidths) )
 
   // Custom Exceptions
   class SubfieldNotInBundle(info: Info, mname: String, name: String) extends PassException(
@@ -583,7 +605,16 @@ object CheckTypes extends Pass {
   }
 }
 
-object CheckFlows extends Pass {
+object CheckFlows extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = Dependency(passes.ResolveFlows) +: firrtl.stage.Forms.WorkingIR
+
+  override val dependents =
+    Seq( Dependency[passes.InferBinaryPoints],
+         Dependency[passes.TrimIntervals],
+         Dependency[passes.InferWidths],
+         Dependency[transforms.InferResets] )
+
   type FlowMap = collection.mutable.HashMap[String, Flow]
 
   implicit def toStr(g: Flow): String = g match {
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/CommonSubexpressionElimination.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/CommonSubexpressionElimination.scala
index 3ba12b2d..d54d8088 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/CommonSubexpressionElimination.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/CommonSubexpressionElimination.scala
@@ -5,9 +5,21 @@ package firrtl.passes
 import firrtl._
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 
+object CommonSubexpressionElimination extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowForm ++
+    Seq( Dependency(firrtl.passes.RemoveValidIf),
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.ConstantPropagation],
+         Dependency(firrtl.passes.memlib.VerilogMemDelays),
+         Dependency(firrtl.passes.SplitExpressions),
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.CombineCats] )
+
+  override val dependents =
+    Seq( Dependency[SystemVerilogEmitter],
+         Dependency[VerilogEmitter] )
 
-object CommonSubexpressionElimination extends Pass {
   private def cse(s: Statement): Statement = {
     val expressions = collection.mutable.HashMap[MemoizedHash[Expression], String]()
     val nodes = collection.mutable.HashMap[String, Expression]()
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/ConvertFixedToSInt.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/ConvertFixedToSInt.scala
index 05a000c5..7e65bdd1 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/ConvertFixedToSInt.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/ConvertFixedToSInt.scala
@@ -8,10 +8,20 @@ import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.Utils.{sub_type, module_type, field_type, max, throwInternalError}
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 
 /** Replaces FixedType with SIntType, and correctly aligns all binary points
   */
-object ConvertFixedToSInt extends Pass {
+object ConvertFixedToSInt extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites =
+    Seq( Dependency(PullMuxes),
+         Dependency(ReplaceAccesses),
+         Dependency(ExpandConnects),
+         Dependency(RemoveAccesses),
+         Dependency[ExpandWhensAndCheck],
+         Dependency[RemoveIntervals] ) ++ firrtl.stage.Forms.Deduped
+
   def alignArg(e: Expression, point: BigInt): Expression = e.tpe match {
     case FixedType(IntWidth(w), IntWidth(p)) => // assert(point >= p)
       if((point - p) > 0) {
@@ -83,29 +93,29 @@ object ConvertFixedToSInt extends Pass {
           types(name) = newType
           newStmt
         case WDefInstance(info, name, module, tpe) =>
-          val newType = moduleTypes(module) 
+          val newType = moduleTypes(module)
           types(name) = newType
           WDefInstance(info, name, module, newType)
-        case Connect(info, loc, exp) => 
+        case Connect(info, loc, exp) =>
           val point = calcPoint(Seq(loc))
           val newExp = alignArg(exp, point)
           Connect(info, loc, newExp) map updateExpType
-        case PartialConnect(info, loc, exp) => 
+        case PartialConnect(info, loc, exp) =>
           val point = calcPoint(Seq(loc))
           val newExp = alignArg(exp, point)
           PartialConnect(info, loc, newExp) map updateExpType
         // check Connect case, need to shl
         case s => (s map updateStmtType) map updateExpType
       }
- 
+
       m.ports.foreach(p => types(p.name) = p.tpe)
       m match {
         case Module(info, name, ports, body) => Module(info,name,ports,updateStmtType(body))
         case m:ExtModule => m
       }
     }
- 
-    val newModules = for(m <- c.modules) yield { 
+
+    val newModules = for(m <- c.modules) yield {
       val newPorts = m.ports.map(p => Port(p.info,p.name,p.direction,toSIntType(p.tpe)))
       m match {
          case Module(info, name, ports, body) => Module(info,name,newPorts,body)
@@ -113,8 +123,13 @@ object ConvertFixedToSInt extends Pass {
       }
     }
     newModules.foreach(m => moduleTypes(m.name) = module_type(m))
-    firrtl.passes.InferTypes.run(Circuit(c.info, newModules.map(onModule(_)), c.main ))
+
+    /* @todo This should be moved outside */
+    (firrtl.passes.InferTypes).run(Circuit(c.info, newModules.map(onModule(_)), c.main ))
   }
 }
 
+
+
+
 // vim: set ts=4 sw=4 et:
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/ExpandWhens.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/ExpandWhens.scala
index 12aa9690..aaf3d9b4 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/ExpandWhens.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/ExpandWhens.scala
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import firrtl.Utils._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.PrimOps._
 import firrtl.WrappedExpression._
+import firrtl.options.Dependency
 
 import annotation.tailrec
 import collection.mutable
@@ -24,6 +25,19 @@ import collection.mutable
   * @note Assumes all references are declared
   */
 object ExpandWhens extends Pass {
+
+  override val prerequisites =
+    Seq( Dependency(PullMuxes),
+         Dependency(ReplaceAccesses),
+         Dependency(ExpandConnects),
+         Dependency(RemoveAccesses),
+         Dependency(Uniquify) ) ++ firrtl.stage.Forms.Resolved
+
+  override def invalidates(a: Transform): Boolean = a match {
+    case CheckInitialization | ResolveKinds | InferTypes => true
+    case _ => false
+  }
+
   /** Returns circuit with when and last connection semantics resolved */
   def run(c: Circuit): Circuit = {
     val modulesx = c.modules map {
@@ -287,3 +301,24 @@ object ExpandWhens extends Pass {
   private def NOT(e: Expression) =
     DoPrim(Eq, Seq(e, zero), Nil, BoolType)
 }
+
+class ExpandWhensAndCheck extends SeqTransform {
+
+  override val prerequisites =
+    Seq( Dependency(PullMuxes),
+         Dependency(ReplaceAccesses),
+         Dependency(ExpandConnects),
+         Dependency(RemoveAccesses),
+         Dependency(Uniquify) ) ++ firrtl.stage.Forms.Deduped
+
+  override def invalidates(a: Transform): Boolean = a match {
+    case ResolveKinds | InferTypes | ResolveFlows | _: InferWidths => true
+    case _ => false
+  }
+
+  override def inputForm = UnknownForm
+  override def outputForm = UnknownForm
+
+  override val transforms = Seq(ExpandWhens, CheckInitialization)
+
+}
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/InferBinaryPoints.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/InferBinaryPoints.scala
index 258c9697..86bc36fc 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/InferBinaryPoints.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/InferBinaryPoints.scala
@@ -7,8 +7,19 @@ import firrtl.Utils._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.annotations.{CircuitTarget, ModuleTarget, ReferenceTarget, Target}
 import firrtl.constraint.ConstraintSolver
+import firrtl.Transform
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
+
+class InferBinaryPoints extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites =
+    Seq( Dependency(ResolveKinds),
+         Dependency(InferTypes),
+         Dependency(Uniquify),
+         Dependency(ResolveFlows) )
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
 
-class InferBinaryPoints extends Pass {
   private val constraintSolver = new ConstraintSolver()
 
   private def addTypeConstraints(r1: ReferenceTarget, r2: ReferenceTarget)(t1: Type, t2: Type): Unit = (t1,t2) match {
@@ -71,14 +82,14 @@ class InferBinaryPoints extends Pass {
     case _ => sys.error("Shouldn't be here")
   }
   private def fixType(t: Type): Type = t map fixType map fixWidth match {
-    case IntervalType(l, u, p) => 
+    case IntervalType(l, u, p) =>
       val px = constraintSolver.get(p) match {
         case Some(Closed(x)) if trim(x).isWhole => IntWidth(x.toBigInt)
         case None => p
         case _ => sys.error("Shouldn't be here")
       }
       IntervalType(l, u, px)
-    case FixedType(w, p) => 
+    case FixedType(w, p) =>
       val px = constraintSolver.get(p) match {
         case Some(Closed(x)) if trim(x).isWhole => IntWidth(x.toBigInt)
         case None => p
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/InferTypes.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/InferTypes.scala
index 3c5cf7fb..d625b626 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/InferTypes.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/InferTypes.scala
@@ -6,8 +6,12 @@ import firrtl._
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Utils._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
+
+object InferTypes extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = Dependency(ResolveKinds) +: firrtl.stage.Forms.WorkingIR
 
-object InferTypes extends Pass {
   type TypeMap = collection.mutable.LinkedHashMap[String, Type]
 
   def run(c: Circuit): Circuit = {
@@ -79,12 +83,15 @@ object InferTypes extends Pass {
       val types = new TypeMap
       m map infer_types_p(types) map infer_types_s(types)
     }
- 
+
     c copy (modules = c.modules map infer_types)
   }
 }
 
-object CInferTypes extends Pass {
+object CInferTypes extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.ChirrtlForm
+
   type TypeMap = collection.mutable.LinkedHashMap[String, Type]
 
   def run(c: Circuit): Circuit = {
@@ -133,12 +140,12 @@ object CInferTypes extends Pass {
       types(p.name) = p.tpe
       p
     }
- 
+
     def infer_types(m: DefModule): DefModule = {
       val types = new TypeMap
       m map infer_types_p(types) map infer_types_s(types)
     }
-   
+
     c copy (modules = c.modules map infer_types)
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/InferWidths.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/InferWidths.scala
index 2211d238..29936ca0 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/InferWidths.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/InferWidths.scala
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.Implicits.width2constraint
 import firrtl.annotations.{CircuitTarget, ModuleTarget, ReferenceTarget, Target}
 import firrtl.constraint.{ConstraintSolver, IsMax}
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
+import firrtl.traversals.Foreachers._
 
 object InferWidths {
   def apply(): InferWidths = new InferWidths()
@@ -60,7 +62,16 @@ case class WidthGeqConstraintAnnotation(loc: ReferenceTarget, exp: ReferenceTarg
   *
   * Uses firrtl.constraint package to infer widths
   */
-class InferWidths extends Transform with ResolvedAnnotationPaths {
+class InferWidths extends Transform with ResolvedAnnotationPaths with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites =
+    Seq( Dependency(passes.ResolveKinds),
+         Dependency(passes.InferTypes),
+         Dependency(passes.Uniquify),
+         Dependency(passes.ResolveFlows),
+         Dependency[passes.InferBinaryPoints],
+         Dependency[passes.TrimIntervals] ) ++ firrtl.stage.Forms.WorkingIR
+
   def inputForm: CircuitForm = UnknownForm
   def outputForm: CircuitForm = UnknownForm
 
@@ -108,12 +119,12 @@ class InferWidths extends Transform with ResolvedAnnotationPaths {
       val n = get_size(c.loc.tpe)
       val locs = create_exps(c.loc)
       val exps = create_exps(c.expr)
-      (locs zip exps).foreach { case (loc, exp) =>
-        to_flip(flow(loc)) match {
-          case Default => addTypeConstraints(Target.asTarget(mt)(loc), Target.asTarget(mt)(exp))(loc.tpe, exp.tpe)
-          case Flip => addTypeConstraints(Target.asTarget(mt)(exp), Target.asTarget(mt)(loc))(exp.tpe, loc.tpe)
-        }
-      }
+                            (locs zip exps).foreach { case (loc, exp) =>
+                              to_flip(flow(loc)) match {
+                                case Default => addTypeConstraints(Target.asTarget(mt)(loc), Target.asTarget(mt)(exp))(loc.tpe, exp.tpe)
+                                case Flip => addTypeConstraints(Target.asTarget(mt)(exp), Target.asTarget(mt)(loc))(exp.tpe, loc.tpe)
+                              }
+                            }
       c
     case pc: PartialConnect =>
       val ls = get_valid_points(pc.loc.tpe, pc.expr.tpe, Default, Default)
@@ -142,8 +153,8 @@ class InferWidths extends Transform with ResolvedAnnotationPaths {
       }
       a
     case c: Conditionally =>
-       addTypeConstraints(Target.asTarget(mt)(c.pred), mt.ref("1.W"))(c.pred.tpe, UIntType(IntWidth(1)))
-       c map addStmtConstraints(mt)
+      addTypeConstraints(Target.asTarget(mt)(c.pred), mt.ref("1.W"))(c.pred.tpe, UIntType(IntWidth(1)))
+      c map addStmtConstraints(mt)
     case x => x map addStmtConstraints(mt)
   }
   private def fixWidth(w: Width): Width = constraintSolver.get(w) match {
@@ -152,7 +163,7 @@ class InferWidths extends Transform with ResolvedAnnotationPaths {
     case _ => sys.error("Shouldn't be here")
   }
   private def fixType(t: Type): Type = t map fixType map fixWidth match {
-    case IntervalType(l, u, p) => 
+    case IntervalType(l, u, p) =>
       val (lx, ux) = (constraintSolver.get(l), constraintSolver.get(u)) match {
         case (Some(x: Bound), Some(y: Bound)) => (x, y)
         case (None, None) => (l, u)
@@ -174,8 +185,8 @@ class InferWidths extends Transform with ResolvedAnnotationPaths {
     c.modules foreach ( m => m map addStmtConstraints(ct.module(m.name)))
     constraintSolver.solve()
     val ret = InferTypes.run(c.copy(modules = c.modules map (_
-      map fixPort
-      map fixStmt)))
+                                                               map fixPort
+                                                               map fixStmt)))
     constraintSolver.clear()
     ret
   }
@@ -212,11 +223,11 @@ class InferWidths extends Transform with ResolvedAnnotationPaths {
       case anno: WidthGeqConstraintAnnotation if anno.loc.isLocal && anno.exp.isLocal  =>
         val locType :: expType :: Nil = Seq(anno.loc, anno.exp) map { target =>
           val baseType = typeMap.getOrElse(target.copy(component = Seq.empty),
-            throw new Exception(s"Target below from WidthGeqConstraintAnnotation was not found\n" + target.prettyPrint()))
+                                           throw new Exception(s"Target below from WidthGeqConstraintAnnotation was not found\n" + target.prettyPrint()))
           val leafType = target.componentType(baseType)
           if (leafType.isInstanceOf[AggregateType]) {
             throw new Exception(s"Target below is an AggregateType, which " +
-              "is not supported by WidthGeqConstraintAnnotation\n" + target.prettyPrint())
+                                  "is not supported by WidthGeqConstraintAnnotation\n" + target.prettyPrint())
           }
 
           leafType
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/LowerTypes.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/LowerTypes.scala
index f52e1e6b..73ef8a22 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/LowerTypes.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/LowerTypes.scala
@@ -26,6 +26,15 @@ object LowerTypes extends Transform {
   def inputForm = UnknownForm
   def outputForm = UnknownForm
 
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.MidForm
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
+
+  override def invalidates(a: Transform): Boolean = a match {
+    case ResolveKinds | InferTypes | ResolveFlows | _: InferWidths => true
+    case _ => false
+  }
+
   /** Delimiter used in lowering names */
   val delim = "_"
   /** Expands a chain of referential [[firrtl.ir.Expression]]s into the equivalent lowered name
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/PadWidths.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/PadWidths.scala
index cbd8250a..0b318511 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/PadWidths.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/PadWidths.scala
@@ -6,9 +6,30 @@ package passes
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.PrimOps._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
+import firrtl.options.Dependency
+
+import scala.collection.mutable
 
 // Makes all implicit width extensions and truncations explicit
 object PadWidths extends Pass {
+
+  override val prerequisites =
+    ((new mutable.LinkedHashSet())
+       ++ firrtl.stage.Forms.LowForm
+       - Dependency(firrtl.passes.Legalize)
+       + Dependency(firrtl.passes.RemoveValidIf)
+       + Dependency[firrtl.transforms.ConstantPropagation]).toSeq
+
+  override val dependents =
+    Seq( Dependency(firrtl.passes.memlib.VerilogMemDelays),
+         Dependency[SystemVerilogEmitter],
+         Dependency[VerilogEmitter] )
+
+  override def invalidates(a: Transform): Boolean = a match {
+    case _: firrtl.transforms.ConstantPropagation | Legalize => true
+    case _ => false
+  }
+
   private def width(t: Type): Int = bitWidth(t).toInt
   private def width(e: Expression): Int = width(e.tpe)
   // Returns an expression with the correct integer width
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/Passes.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/Passes.scala
index 9a644dc8..a8d37758 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/Passes.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/Passes.scala
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Utils._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.PrimOps._
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 import firrtl.transforms.ConstantPropagation
 
 import scala.collection.mutable
@@ -46,7 +47,10 @@ class Errors {
 }
 
 // These should be distributed into separate files
-object ToWorkingIR extends Pass {
+object ToWorkingIR extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.MinimalHighForm
+
   def toExp(e: Expression): Expression = e map toExp match {
     case ex: Reference => WRef(ex.name, ex.tpe, UnknownKind, UnknownFlow)
     case ex: SubField => WSubField(ex.expr, ex.name, ex.tpe, UnknownFlow)
@@ -64,8 +68,11 @@ object ToWorkingIR extends Pass {
     c copy (modules = c.modules map (_ map toStmt))
 }
 
-object PullMuxes extends Pass {
-   def run(c: Circuit): Circuit = {
+object PullMuxes extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.Deduped
+
+  def run(c: Circuit): Circuit = {
      def pull_muxes_e(e: Expression): Expression = e map pull_muxes_e match {
        case ex: WSubField => ex.expr match {
          case exx: Mux => Mux(exx.cond,
@@ -102,7 +109,12 @@ object PullMuxes extends Pass {
    }
 }
 
-object ExpandConnects extends Pass {
+object ExpandConnects extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites =
+    Seq( Dependency(PullMuxes),
+         Dependency(ReplaceAccesses) ) ++ firrtl.stage.Forms.Deduped
+
   def run(c: Circuit): Circuit = {
     def expand_connects(m: Module): Module = {
       val flows = collection.mutable.LinkedHashMap[String,Flow]()
@@ -179,7 +191,14 @@ object ExpandConnects extends Pass {
 
 // Replace shr by amount >= arg width with 0 for UInts and MSB for SInts
 // TODO replace UInt with zero-width wire instead
-object Legalize extends Pass {
+object Legalize extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.MidForm :+ Dependency(LowerTypes)
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = Seq.empty
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
+
   private def legalizeShiftRight(e: DoPrim): Expression = {
     require(e.op == Shr)
     e.args.head match {
@@ -260,7 +279,22 @@ object Legalize extends Pass {
   *
   * @note The result of this pass is NOT legal Firrtl
   */
-object VerilogPrep extends Pass {
+object VerilogPrep extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized ++
+    Seq( Dependency[firrtl.transforms.BlackBoxSourceHelper],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.FixAddingNegativeLiterals],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.InlineBitExtractionsTransform],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.InlineCastsTransform],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.LegalizeClocksTransform],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.FlattenRegUpdate],
+         Dependency(passes.VerilogModulusCleanup),
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.VerilogRename] )
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormOptimized
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
 
   type AttachSourceMap = Map[WrappedExpression, Expression]
 
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/RemoveAccesses.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/RemoveAccesses.scala
index 1c2dc096..ac5d8a4e 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/RemoveAccesses.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/RemoveAccesses.scala
@@ -2,18 +2,30 @@
 
 package firrtl.passes
 
-import firrtl.{WRef, WSubAccess, WSubIndex, WSubField, Namespace}
+import firrtl.{Namespace, Transform, WRef, WSubAccess, WSubIndex, WSubField}
 import firrtl.PrimOps.{And, Eq}
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.Utils._
 import firrtl.WrappedExpression._
-import scala.collection.mutable
+import firrtl.options.Dependency
 
+import scala.collection.mutable
 
 /** Removes all [[firrtl.WSubAccess]] from circuit
   */
-class RemoveAccesses extends Pass {
+object RemoveAccesses extends Pass {
+
+  override val prerequisites =
+    Seq( Dependency(PullMuxes),
+         Dependency(ReplaceAccesses),
+         Dependency(ExpandConnects) ) ++ firrtl.stage.Forms.Deduped
+
+  override def invalidates(a: Transform): Boolean = a match {
+    case Uniquify => true
+    case _        => false
+  }
+
   private def AND(e1: Expression, e2: Expression) =
     if(e1 == one) e2
     else if(e2 == one) e1
@@ -166,14 +178,3 @@ class RemoveAccesses extends Pass {
     })
   }
 }
-
-object RemoveAccesses extends Pass {
-  def apply: Pass = {
-    new RemoveAccesses()
-  }
-
-  def run(c: Circuit): Circuit = {
-    val t = new RemoveAccesses
-    t.run(c)
-  }
-}
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/RemoveCHIRRTL.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/RemoveCHIRRTL.scala
index 921ec3c7..05dd8bd9 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/RemoveCHIRRTL.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/RemoveCHIRRTL.scala
@@ -8,12 +8,18 @@ import firrtl._
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Utils._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 
 case class MPort(name: String, clk: Expression)
 case class MPorts(readers: ArrayBuffer[MPort], writers: ArrayBuffer[MPort], readwriters: ArrayBuffer[MPort])
 case class DataRef(exp: Expression, male: String, female: String, mask: String, rdwrite: Boolean)
 
-object RemoveCHIRRTL extends Transform {
+object RemoveCHIRRTL extends Transform with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.ChirrtlForm ++
+    Seq( Dependency(passes.CInferTypes),
+         Dependency(passes.CInferMDir) )
+
   def inputForm: CircuitForm = UnknownForm
   def outputForm: CircuitForm = UnknownForm
   val ut = UnknownType
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/RemoveIntervals.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/RemoveIntervals.scala
index 73f59b59..cf3d2ff2 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/RemoveIntervals.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/RemoveIntervals.scala
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import firrtl._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
 import Implicits.{bigint2WInt}
 import firrtl.constraint.IsKnown
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 
 import scala.math.BigDecimal.RoundingMode._
 
@@ -35,7 +36,14 @@ class WrapWithRemainder(info: Info, mname: String, wrap: DoPrim)
   *      c. replace with SIntType
   * 3) Run InferTypes
   */
-class RemoveIntervals extends Pass {
+class RemoveIntervals extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites: Seq[Dependency[Transform]] =
+    Seq( Dependency(PullMuxes),
+         Dependency(ReplaceAccesses),
+         Dependency(ExpandConnects),
+         Dependency(RemoveAccesses),
+         Dependency[ExpandWhensAndCheck] ) ++ firrtl.stage.Forms.Deduped
 
   def run(c: Circuit): Circuit = {
     val alignedCircuit = c
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/RemoveValidIf.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/RemoveValidIf.scala
index 42eae7e5..3b5499ac 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/RemoveValidIf.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/RemoveValidIf.scala
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@
 
 package firrtl
 package passes
+
 import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.ir._
 import Utils.throwInternalError
+import firrtl.options.Dependency
 
 /** Remove [[firrtl.ir.ValidIf ValidIf]] and replace [[firrtl.ir.IsInvalid IsInvalid]] with a connection to zero */
 object RemoveValidIf extends Pass {
@@ -27,6 +29,17 @@ object RemoveValidIf extends Pass {
     case other => throwInternalError(s"Unexpected type $other")
   }
 
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowForm
+
+  override val dependents =
+    Seq( Dependency[SystemVerilogEmitter],
+         Dependency[VerilogEmitter] )
+
+  override def invalidates(a: Transform): Boolean = a match {
+    case Legalize | _: firrtl.transforms.ConstantPropagation => true
+    case _ => false
+  }
+
   // Recursive. Removes ValidIfs
   private def onExp(e: Expression): Expression = {
     e map onExp match {
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/ReplaceAccesses.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/ReplaceAccesses.scala
index 2ec035f3..75cca77a 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/ReplaceAccesses.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/ReplaceAccesses.scala
@@ -2,22 +2,26 @@
 
 package firrtl.passes
 
+import firrtl.Transform
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.{WSubAccess, WSubIndex}
 import firrtl.Mappers._
-
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 
 /** Replaces constant [[firrtl.WSubAccess]] with [[firrtl.WSubIndex]]
   * TODO Fold in to High Firrtl Const Prop
   */
-object ReplaceAccesses extends Pass {
+object ReplaceAccesses extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.Deduped :+ Dependency(PullMuxes)
+
   def run(c: Circuit): Circuit = {
     def onStmt(s: Statement): Statement = s map onStmt map onExp
     def onExp(e: Expression): Expression = e match {
       case WSubAccess(ex, UIntLiteral(value, width), t, g) => WSubIndex(onExp(ex), value.toInt, t, g)
       case _ => e map onExp
     }
-  
+
     c copy (modules = c.modules map (_ map onStmt))
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/Resolves.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/Resolves.scala
index 97cc4bb3..15750b76 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/Resolves.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/Resolves.scala
@@ -5,9 +5,14 @@ package firrtl.passes
 import firrtl._
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 import Utils.throwInternalError
 
-object ResolveKinds extends Pass {
+
+object ResolveKinds extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.WorkingIR
+
   type KindMap = collection.mutable.LinkedHashMap[String, Kind]
 
   def find_port(kinds: KindMap)(p: Port): Port = {
@@ -45,7 +50,13 @@ object ResolveKinds extends Pass {
     c copy (modules = c.modules map resolve_kinds)
 }
 
-object ResolveFlows extends Pass {
+object ResolveFlows extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites =
+    Seq( Dependency(passes.ResolveKinds),
+         Dependency(passes.InferTypes),
+         Dependency(passes.Uniquify) ) ++ firrtl.stage.Forms.WorkingIR
+
   def resolve_e(g: Flow)(e: Expression): Expression = e match {
     case ex: WRef => ex copy (flow = g)
     case WSubField(exp, name, tpe, _) => WSubField(
@@ -88,7 +99,10 @@ object ResolveGenders extends Pass {
 
 }
 
-object CInferMDir extends Pass {
+object CInferMDir extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.ChirrtlForm :+ Dependency(CInferTypes)
+
   type MPortDirMap = collection.mutable.LinkedHashMap[String, MPortDir]
 
   def infer_mdir_e(mports: MPortDirMap, dir: MPortDir)(e: Expression): Expression = e match {
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/SplitExpressions.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/SplitExpressions.scala
index de955c9a..43d0ed34 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/SplitExpressions.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/SplitExpressions.scala
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 package firrtl
 package passes
 
+import firrtl.{SystemVerilogEmitter, VerilogEmitter}
 import firrtl.ir._
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.Utils.{kind, flow, get_info}
 
@@ -12,7 +14,16 @@ import scala.collection.mutable
 
 // Splits compound expressions into simple expressions
 //  and named intermediate nodes
-object SplitExpressions extends Pass {
+object SplitExpressions extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowForm ++
+    Seq( Dependency(firrtl.passes.RemoveValidIf),
+         Dependency(firrtl.passes.memlib.VerilogMemDelays) )
+
+  override val dependents =
+    Seq( Dependency[SystemVerilogEmitter],
+         Dependency[VerilogEmitter] )
+
    private def onModule(m: Module): Module = {
       val namespace = Namespace(m)
       def onStmt(s: Statement): Statement = {
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/TrimIntervals.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/TrimIntervals.scala
index f659815e..4e558e2a 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/TrimIntervals.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/TrimIntervals.scala
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import firrtl.PrimOps._
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.constraint.{IsFloor, IsKnown, IsMul}
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
+import firrtl.Transform
 
 /** Replaces IntervalType with SIntType, three AST walks:
   * 1) Align binary points
@@ -18,7 +20,17 @@ import firrtl.constraint.{IsFloor, IsKnown, IsMul}
   *      c. replace with SIntType
   * 3) Run InferTypes
   */
-class TrimIntervals extends Pass {
+class TrimIntervals extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites =
+    Seq( Dependency(ResolveKinds),
+         Dependency(InferTypes),
+         Dependency(Uniquify),
+         Dependency(ResolveFlows),
+         Dependency[InferBinaryPoints] )
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
+
   def run(c: Circuit): Circuit = {
     // Open -> closed
     val firstPass = InferTypes.run(c map replaceModuleInterval)
@@ -80,7 +92,7 @@ class TrimIntervals extends Pass {
       val shiftMul = Closed(BigDecimal(1) / shiftGain)
       val bpGain = BigDecimal(BigInt(1) << current.toInt)
       // BP is inferred at this point
-      // y = floor(x * 2^(-amt + bp)) gets rid of precision --> y * 2^(-bp + amt) 
+      // y = floor(x * 2^(-amt + bp)) gets rid of precision --> y * 2^(-bp + amt)
       val newBPRes = Closed(shiftGain / bpGain)
       val bpResInv = Closed(bpGain)
       val newL = IsMul(IsFloor(IsMul(IsMul(l, shiftMul), bpResInv)), newBPRes)
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/Uniquify.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/Uniquify.scala
index 978ccc66..1268cac2 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/Uniquify.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/Uniquify.scala
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@ import firrtl._
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Utils._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
-import MemPortUtils.memType
+import firrtl.options.Dependency
 
+import MemPortUtils.memType
 
 /** Resolve name collisions that would occur in [[LowerTypes]]
   *
@@ -32,6 +33,16 @@ import MemPortUtils.memType
   *      to rename a
   */
 object Uniquify extends Transform {
+
+  override val prerequisites =
+    Seq( Dependency(ResolveKinds),
+         Dependency(InferTypes) ) ++ firrtl.stage.Forms.WorkingIR
+
+  override def invalidates(a: Transform): Boolean = a match {
+    case ResolveKinds | InferTypes => true
+    case _ => false
+  }
+
   def inputForm = UnknownForm
   def outputForm = UnknownForm
   private case class UniquifyException(msg: String) extends FirrtlInternalException(msg)
@@ -41,9 +52,9 @@ object Uniquify extends Transform {
   // For creation of rename map
   private case class NameMapNode(name: String, elts: Map[String, NameMapNode])
 
-  // Appends delim to prefix until no collisions of prefix + elts in names
-  // We don't add an _ in the collision check because elts could be Seq("")
-  //   In this case, we're just really checking if prefix itself collides
+  /** Appends delim to prefix until no collisions of prefix + elts in names We don't add an _ in the collision check
+    * because elts could be Seq("") In this case, we're just really checking if prefix itself collides
+    */
   @tailrec
   def findValidPrefix(
       prefix: String,
@@ -55,10 +66,12 @@ object Uniquify extends Transform {
     }
   }
 
-  // Enumerates all possible names for a given type
-  //   eg. foo : { bar : { a, b }[2], c }
-  //   => foo, foo bar, foo bar 0, foo bar 1, foo bar 0 a, foo bar 0 b,
-  //      foo bar 1 a, foo bar 1 b, foo c
+  /** Enumerates all possible names for a given type. For example:
+    * {{{
+    * foo : { bar : { a, b }[2], c }
+    *   => foo, foo bar, foo bar 0, foo bar 1, foo bar 0 a, foo bar 0 b, foo bar 1 a, foo bar 1 b, foo c
+    * }}}
+    */
   private [firrtl] def enumerateNames(tpe: Type): Seq[Seq[String]] = tpe match {
     case t: BundleType =>
       t.fields flatMap { f =>
@@ -72,6 +85,36 @@ object Uniquify extends Transform {
     case _ => Seq()
   }
 
+  /** Creates a Bundle Type from a Stmt */
+  def stmtToType(s: Statement)(implicit sinfo: Info, mname: String): BundleType = {
+    // Recursive helper
+    def recStmtToType(s: Statement): Seq[Field] = s match {
+      case sx: DefWire => Seq(Field(sx.name, Default, sx.tpe))
+      case sx: DefRegister => Seq(Field(sx.name, Default, sx.tpe))
+      case sx: WDefInstance => Seq(Field(sx.name, Default, sx.tpe))
+      case sx: DefMemory => sx.dataType match {
+        case (_: UIntType | _: SIntType | _: FixedType) =>
+          Seq(Field(sx.name, Default, memType(sx)))
+        case tpe: BundleType =>
+          val newFields = tpe.fields map ( f =>
+            DefMemory(sx.info, f.name, f.tpe, sx.depth, sx.writeLatency,
+              sx.readLatency, sx.readers, sx.writers, sx.readwriters)
+          ) flatMap recStmtToType
+          Seq(Field(sx.name, Default, BundleType(newFields)))
+        case tpe: VectorType =>
+          val newFields = (0 until tpe.size) map ( i =>
+            sx.copy(name = i.toString, dataType = tpe.tpe)
+          ) flatMap recStmtToType
+          Seq(Field(sx.name, Default, BundleType(newFields)))
+      }
+      case sx: DefNode => Seq(Field(sx.name, Default, sx.value.tpe))
+      case sx: Conditionally => recStmtToType(sx.conseq) ++ recStmtToType(sx.alt)
+      case sx: Block => (sx.stmts map recStmtToType).flatten
+      case sx => Seq()
+    }
+    BundleType(recStmtToType(s))
+  }
+
   // Accepts a Type and an initial namespace
   // Returns new Type with uniquified names
   private def uniquifyNames(
@@ -202,36 +245,6 @@ object Uniquify extends Transform {
     case t => t
   }
 
-  // Creates a Bundle Type from a Stmt
-  def stmtToType(s: Statement)(implicit sinfo: Info, mname: String): BundleType = {
-    // Recursive helper
-    def recStmtToType(s: Statement): Seq[Field] = s match {
-      case sx: DefWire => Seq(Field(sx.name, Default, sx.tpe))
-      case sx: DefRegister => Seq(Field(sx.name, Default, sx.tpe))
-      case sx: WDefInstance => Seq(Field(sx.name, Default, sx.tpe))
-      case sx: DefMemory => sx.dataType match {
-        case (_: UIntType | _: SIntType | _: FixedType) =>
-          Seq(Field(sx.name, Default, memType(sx)))
-        case tpe: BundleType =>
-          val newFields = tpe.fields map ( f =>
-            DefMemory(sx.info, f.name, f.tpe, sx.depth, sx.writeLatency,
-              sx.readLatency, sx.readers, sx.writers, sx.readwriters)
-          ) flatMap recStmtToType
-          Seq(Field(sx.name, Default, BundleType(newFields)))
-        case tpe: VectorType =>
-          val newFields = (0 until tpe.size) map ( i =>
-            sx.copy(name = i.toString, dataType = tpe.tpe)
-          ) flatMap recStmtToType
-          Seq(Field(sx.name, Default, BundleType(newFields)))
-      }
-      case sx: DefNode => Seq(Field(sx.name, Default, sx.value.tpe))
-      case sx: Conditionally => recStmtToType(sx.conseq) ++ recStmtToType(sx.alt)
-      case sx: Block => (sx.stmts map recStmtToType).flatten
-      case sx => Seq()
-    }
-    BundleType(recStmtToType(s))
-  }
-
   // Everything wrapped in run so that it's thread safe
   def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
     val c = state.circuit
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/VerilogModulusCleanup.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/VerilogModulusCleanup.scala
index fdc81797..f47ddfbd 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/VerilogModulusCleanup.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/VerilogModulusCleanup.scala
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.PrimOps.{Bits, Rem}
 import firrtl.Utils._
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 
 import scala.collection.mutable
 
@@ -23,7 +24,20 @@ import scala.collection.mutable
  *  This is technically incorrect firrtl, but allows the verilog emitter
  *  to emit correct verilog without needing to add temporary nodes
  */
-object VerilogModulusCleanup extends Pass {
+object VerilogModulusCleanup extends Pass with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized ++
+    Seq( Dependency[firrtl.transforms.BlackBoxSourceHelper],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.FixAddingNegativeLiterals],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.InlineBitExtractionsTransform],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.InlineCastsTransform],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.LegalizeClocksTransform],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.FlattenRegUpdate] )
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormOptimized
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
 
   private def onModule(m: Module): Module = {
     val namespace = Namespace(m)
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/ZeroWidth.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/ZeroWidth.scala
index e01cfffc..e60d76d1 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/ZeroWidth.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/ZeroWidth.scala
@@ -6,8 +6,24 @@ import firrtl.PrimOps._
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
+import firrtl.options.Dependency
 
 object ZeroWidth extends Transform {
+
+  override val prerequisites =
+    Seq( Dependency(PullMuxes),
+         Dependency(ReplaceAccesses),
+         Dependency(ExpandConnects),
+         Dependency(RemoveAccesses),
+         Dependency(Uniquify),
+         Dependency[ExpandWhensAndCheck],
+         Dependency(ConvertFixedToSInt) ) ++ firrtl.stage.Forms.Deduped
+
+  override def invalidates(a: Transform): Boolean = a match {
+    case InferTypes => true
+    case _          => false
+  }
+
   def inputForm: CircuitForm = UnknownForm
   def outputForm: CircuitForm = UnknownForm
 
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/memlib/VerilogMemDelays.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/memlib/VerilogMemDelays.scala
index 80b5cbb8..e5e6d6d4 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/memlib/VerilogMemDelays.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/passes/memlib/VerilogMemDelays.scala
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Utils._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.traversals.Foreachers._
+import firrtl.transforms
+import firrtl.options.Dependency
 
 import MemPortUtils._
 import WrappedExpression._
@@ -69,7 +71,7 @@ object MemDelayAndReadwriteTransformer {
   * read and write ports while simultaneously compiling memory latencies to combinational-read
   * memories with delay pipelines. It is represented as a class that takes a module as a constructor
   * argument, as it encapsulates the mutable state required to analyze and transform one module.
-  * 
+  *
   * @note The final transformed module is found in the (sole public) field [[transformed]]
   */
 class MemDelayAndReadwriteTransformer(m: DefModule) {
@@ -165,6 +167,18 @@ class MemDelayAndReadwriteTransformer(m: DefModule) {
 }
 
 object VerilogMemDelays extends Pass {
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowForm :+ Dependency(firrtl.passes.RemoveValidIf)
+
+  override val dependents =
+    Seq( Dependency[VerilogEmitter],
+         Dependency[SystemVerilogEmitter] )
+
+  override def invalidates(a: Transform): Boolean = a match {
+    case _: transforms.ConstantPropagation => true
+    case _ => false
+  }
+
   def transform(m: DefModule): DefModule = (new MemDelayAndReadwriteTransformer(m)).transformed
   def run(c: Circuit): Circuit = c.copy(modules = c.modules.map(transform))
 }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/FirrtlStage.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/FirrtlStage.scala
index 2f7f0d11..94c4a896 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/FirrtlStage.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/FirrtlStage.scala
@@ -2,37 +2,32 @@
 
 package firrtl.stage
 
-import firrtl.{AnnotationSeq, CustomTransformException, FirrtlInternalException,
-               FirrtlUserException, FIRRTLException, Utils}
-import firrtl.options.{Stage, Phase, PhaseException, Shell, OptionsException, StageMain}
+import firrtl.AnnotationSeq
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, Phase, PhaseManager, PreservesAll, Shell, Stage, StageMain}
 import firrtl.options.phases.DeletedWrapper
+import firrtl.stage.phases.CatchExceptions
 
-import scala.util.control.ControlThrowable
+class FirrtlPhase
+    extends PhaseManager(targets=Seq(Dependency[firrtl.stage.phases.Compiler], Dependency[firrtl.stage.phases.WriteEmitted]))
+    with PreservesAll[Phase] {
 
+  override val wrappers = Seq(CatchExceptions(_: Phase), DeletedWrapper(_: Phase))
+
+}
 
 class FirrtlStage extends Stage {
+
+  lazy val phase = new FirrtlPhase
+
+  override lazy val prerequisites = phase.prerequisites
+
+  override lazy val dependents = phase.dependents
+
+  override def invalidates(a: Phase): Boolean = phase.invalidates(a)
+
   val shell: Shell = new Shell("firrtl") with FirrtlCli
 
-  private val phases: Seq[Phase] =
-    Seq( new firrtl.stage.phases.AddDefaults,
-         new firrtl.stage.phases.AddImplicitEmitter,
-         new firrtl.stage.phases.Checks,
-         new firrtl.stage.phases.AddCircuit,
-         new firrtl.stage.phases.AddImplicitOutputFile,
-         new firrtl.stage.phases.Compiler,
-         new firrtl.stage.phases.WriteEmitted )
-      .map(DeletedWrapper(_))
-
-  def run(annotations: AnnotationSeq): AnnotationSeq = try {
-    phases.foldLeft(annotations)((a, f) => f.transform(a))
-  } catch {
-    /* Rethrow the exceptions which are expected or due to the runtime environment (out of memory, stack overflow, etc.).
-     * Any UNEXPECTED exceptions should be treated as internal errors. */
-    case p @ (_: ControlThrowable | _: FIRRTLException | _: OptionsException | _: FirrtlUserException
-                | _: FirrtlInternalException | _: PhaseException) => throw p
-    case CustomTransformException(cause) => throw cause
-    case e: Exception => Utils.throwInternalError(exception = Some(e))
-  }
+  def run(annotations: AnnotationSeq): AnnotationSeq = phase.transform(annotations)
 
 }
 
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/Forms.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/Forms.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f3eabd23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/Forms.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+// See LICENSE for license details.
+
+package firrtl.stage
+
+import firrtl._
+import firrtl.options.Dependency
+import firrtl.stage.TransformManager.TransformDependency
+
+/*
+ * - InferWidths should have InferTypes split out
+ * - ConvertFixedToSInt should have InferTypes split out
+ * - Move InferTypes out of ZeroWidth
+ */
+
+object Forms {
+
+  lazy val ChirrtlForm: Seq[TransformDependency] = Seq.empty
+
+  lazy val MinimalHighForm: Seq[TransformDependency] = ChirrtlForm ++
+    Seq( Dependency(passes.CheckChirrtl),
+         Dependency(passes.CInferTypes),
+         Dependency(passes.CInferMDir),
+         Dependency(passes.RemoveCHIRRTL) )
+
+  lazy val WorkingIR: Seq[TransformDependency] = MinimalHighForm :+ Dependency(passes.ToWorkingIR)
+
+  lazy val Resolved: Seq[TransformDependency] = WorkingIR ++
+    Seq( Dependency(passes.CheckHighForm),
+         Dependency(passes.ResolveKinds),
+         Dependency(passes.InferTypes),
+         Dependency(passes.CheckTypes),
+         Dependency(passes.Uniquify),
+         Dependency(passes.ResolveFlows),
+         Dependency(passes.CheckFlows),
+         Dependency[passes.InferBinaryPoints],
+         Dependency[passes.TrimIntervals],
+         Dependency[passes.InferWidths],
+         Dependency(passes.CheckWidths),
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.InferResets] )
+
+  lazy val Deduped: Seq[TransformDependency] = Resolved :+ Dependency[firrtl.transforms.DedupModules]
+
+  lazy val HighForm: Seq[TransformDependency] = ChirrtlForm ++
+    MinimalHighForm ++
+    WorkingIR ++
+    Resolved ++
+    Deduped
+
+  lazy val MidForm: Seq[TransformDependency] = HighForm ++
+    Seq( Dependency(passes.PullMuxes),
+         Dependency(passes.ReplaceAccesses),
+         Dependency(passes.ExpandConnects),
+         Dependency(passes.RemoveAccesses),
+         Dependency[passes.ExpandWhensAndCheck],
+         Dependency[passes.RemoveIntervals],
+         Dependency(passes.ConvertFixedToSInt),
+         Dependency(passes.ZeroWidth) )
+
+  lazy val LowForm: Seq[TransformDependency] = MidForm ++
+    Seq( Dependency(passes.LowerTypes),
+         Dependency(passes.Legalize),
+         Dependency(firrtl.transforms.RemoveReset),
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.CheckCombLoops],
+         Dependency[checks.CheckResets],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.RemoveWires] )
+
+  lazy val LowFormMinimumOptimized: Seq[TransformDependency] = LowForm ++
+    Seq( Dependency(passes.RemoveValidIf),
+         Dependency(passes.memlib.VerilogMemDelays),
+         Dependency(passes.SplitExpressions) )
+
+  lazy val LowFormOptimized: Seq[TransformDependency] = LowFormMinimumOptimized ++
+    Seq( Dependency[firrtl.transforms.ConstantPropagation],
+         Dependency(passes.PadWidths),
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.CombineCats],
+         Dependency(passes.CommonSubexpressionElimination),
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.DeadCodeElimination] )
+
+  lazy val VerilogMinimumOptimized: Seq[TransformDependency] = LowFormMinimumOptimized ++
+    Seq( Dependency[firrtl.transforms.BlackBoxSourceHelper],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.FixAddingNegativeLiterals],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.InlineBitExtractionsTransform],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.InlineCastsTransform],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.LegalizeClocksTransform],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.FlattenRegUpdate],
+         Dependency(passes.VerilogModulusCleanup),
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.VerilogRename],
+         Dependency(passes.VerilogPrep),
+         Dependency[firrtl.AddDescriptionNodes] )
+
+  lazy val VerilogOptimized: Seq[TransformDependency] = LowFormOptimized ++ VerilogMinimumOptimized
+
+}
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/TransformManager.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/TransformManager.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..95878c91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/TransformManager.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+// See LICENSE for license details.
+
+package firrtl.stage
+
+import firrtl.{CircuitForm, CircuitState, Transform, UnknownForm}
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, DependencyManager}
+
+/** A [[Transform]] that ensures some other [[Transform]]s and their prerequisites are executed.
+  *
+  * @param targets the transforms you want to run
+  * @param currentState the transforms that have already run
+  * @param knownObjects existing transform objects that have already been constructed
+  */
+class TransformManager(
+  val targets: Seq[TransformManager.TransformDependency],
+  val currentState: Seq[TransformManager.TransformDependency] = Seq.empty,
+  val knownObjects: Set[Transform] = Set.empty) extends Transform with DependencyManager[CircuitState, Transform] {
+
+  override def inputForm: CircuitForm = UnknownForm
+
+  override def outputForm: CircuitForm = UnknownForm
+
+  override def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = transform(state)
+
+  override protected def copy(a: Seq[Dependency[Transform]], b: Seq[Dependency[Transform]], c: Set[Transform]) = new TransformManager(a, b, c)
+
+}
+
+object TransformManager {
+
+  /** The type used to represent dependencies between [[Transform]]s */
+  type TransformDependency = Dependency[Transform]
+
+}
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/AddCircuit.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/AddCircuit.scala
index 30c23098..5f1e381e 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/AddCircuit.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/AddCircuit.scala
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ package firrtl.stage.phases
 import firrtl.stage._
 
 import firrtl.{AnnotationSeq, Parser}
-import firrtl.options.{Phase, PhasePrerequisiteException}
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, Phase, PhasePrerequisiteException, PreservesAll}
 
 /** [[firrtl.options.Phase Phase]] that expands [[FirrtlFileAnnotation]]/[[FirrtlSourceAnnotation]] into
   * [[FirrtlCircuitAnnotation]]s and deletes the originals. This is part of the preprocessing done on an input
@@ -25,7 +25,11 @@ import firrtl.options.{Phase, PhasePrerequisiteException}
   * an [[InfoModeAnnotation]].'''.
   * @define infoModeException firrtl.options.PhasePrerequisiteException if no [[InfoModeAnnotation]] is present
   */
-class AddCircuit extends Phase {
+class AddCircuit extends Phase with PreservesAll[Phase] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = Seq(Dependency[AddDefaults], Dependency[Checks])
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
 
   /** Extract the info mode from an [[AnnotationSeq]] or use the default info mode if no annotation exists
     * @param annotations some annotations
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/AddDefaults.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/AddDefaults.scala
index dc8dc025..17d7778d 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/AddDefaults.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/AddDefaults.scala
@@ -3,14 +3,18 @@
 package firrtl.stage.phases
 
 import firrtl.AnnotationSeq
-import firrtl.options.{Phase, TargetDirAnnotation}
+import firrtl.options.{Phase, PreservesAll, TargetDirAnnotation}
 import firrtl.transforms.BlackBoxTargetDirAnno
 import firrtl.stage.{CompilerAnnotation, InfoModeAnnotation, FirrtlOptions}
 
 /** [[firrtl.options.Phase Phase]] that adds default [[FirrtlOption]] [[firrtl.annotations.Annotation Annotation]]s.
   * This is a part of the preprocessing done by [[FirrtlStage]].
   */
-class AddDefaults extends Phase {
+class AddDefaults extends Phase with PreservesAll[Phase] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = Seq.empty
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
 
   /** Append any missing default annotations to an annotation sequence */
   def transform(annotations: AnnotationSeq): AnnotationSeq = {
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/AddImplicitEmitter.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/AddImplicitEmitter.scala
index 84f98cdb..7b7a6382 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/AddImplicitEmitter.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/AddImplicitEmitter.scala
@@ -4,12 +4,16 @@ package firrtl.stage.phases
 
 import firrtl.{AnnotationSeq, EmitAnnotation, EmitCircuitAnnotation}
 import firrtl.stage.{CompilerAnnotation, RunFirrtlTransformAnnotation}
-import firrtl.options.Phase
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, Phase, PreservesAll}
 
 /** [[firrtl.options.Phase Phase]] that adds a [[firrtl.EmitCircuitAnnotation EmitCircuitAnnotation]] derived from a
   * [[firrtl.stage.CompilerAnnotation CompilerAnnotation]] if one does not already exist.
   */
-class AddImplicitEmitter extends Phase {
+class AddImplicitEmitter extends Phase with PreservesAll[Phase] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = Seq(Dependency[AddDefaults])
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
 
   def transform(annos: AnnotationSeq): AnnotationSeq = {
     val emitter = annos.collectFirst{ case a: EmitAnnotation => a }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/AddImplicitOutputFile.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/AddImplicitOutputFile.scala
index 9ef32ab1..75e97c9b 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/AddImplicitOutputFile.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/AddImplicitOutputFile.scala
@@ -3,22 +3,28 @@
 package firrtl.stage.phases
 
 import firrtl.{AnnotationSeq, EmitAllModulesAnnotation}
-import firrtl.options.{Phase, Viewer}
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, Phase, PreservesAll, Viewer}
 import firrtl.stage.{FirrtlOptions, OutputFileAnnotation}
 
 /** [[firrtl.options.Phase Phase]] that adds an [[OutputFileAnnotation]] if one does not already exist.
   *
   * To determine the [[OutputFileAnnotation]], the following precedence is used. Whichever happens first succeeds:
   *  - Do nothing if an [[OutputFileAnnotation]] or [[EmitAllModulesAnnotation]] exist
-  *  - Use the main in the first discovered [[FirrtlCircuitAnnotation]] (see note below)
+  *  - Use the main in the first discovered [[firrtl.stage.FirrtlCircuitAnnotation FirrtlCircuitAnnotation]] (see note
+  *    below)
   *  - Use "a"
   *
   * The file suffix may or may not be specified, but this may be arbitrarily changed by the [[Emitter]].
   *
-  * @note This [[firrtl.options.Phase Phase]] has a dependency on [[AddCircuit]]. Only a [[FirrtlCircuitAnnotation]]
-  * will be used to implicitly set the [[OutputFileAnnotation]] (not other [[CircuitOption]] subclasses).
+  * @note This [[firrtl.options.Phase Phase]] has a dependency on [[AddCircuit]]. Only a
+  * [[firrtl.stage.FirrtlCircuitAnnotation FirrtlCircuitAnnotation]] will be used to implicitly set the
+  * [[OutputFileAnnotation]] (not other [[firrtl.stage.CircuitOption CircuitOption]] subclasses).
   */
-class AddImplicitOutputFile extends Phase {
+class AddImplicitOutputFile extends Phase with PreservesAll[Phase] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = Seq(Dependency[AddCircuit])
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
 
   /** Add an [[OutputFileAnnotation]] to an [[AnnotationSeq]] */
   def transform(annotations: AnnotationSeq): AnnotationSeq =
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/CatchExceptions.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/CatchExceptions.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a7f84b73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/CatchExceptions.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+// See LICENSE for license details.
+
+package firrtl.stage.phases
+
+import firrtl.{AnnotationSeq, CustomTransformException, FIRRTLException, FirrtlInternalException, FirrtlUserException,
+  Utils}
+import firrtl.options.{DependencyManagerException, Phase, PhaseException, OptionsException}
+import firrtl.passes.{PassException, PassExceptions}
+
+import scala.util.control.ControlThrowable
+
+class CatchExceptions(val underlying: Phase) extends Phase {
+
+  override final val prerequisites = underlying.prerequisites
+  override final val dependents = underlying.dependents
+  override final def invalidates(a: Phase): Boolean = underlying.invalidates(a)
+  override final lazy val name = underlying.name
+
+  override def transform(a: AnnotationSeq): AnnotationSeq = try {
+    underlying.transform(a)
+  } catch {
+    /* Rethrow the exceptions which are expected or due to the runtime environment (out of memory, stack overflow, etc.).
+     * Any UNEXPECTED exceptions should be treated as internal errors. */
+    case p @ (_: ControlThrowable | _: FIRRTLException | _: OptionsException | _: FirrtlUserException
+                | _: FirrtlInternalException | _: PhaseException | _: DependencyManagerException) => throw p
+    case CustomTransformException(cause) => throw cause
+    case e: Exception => Utils.throwInternalError(exception = Some(e))
+  }
+
+}
+
+
+object CatchExceptions {
+
+  def apply(p: Phase): CatchExceptions = new CatchExceptions(p)
+
+}
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/Checks.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/Checks.scala
index 9ee2b854..ebf4c04f 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/Checks.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/Checks.scala
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import firrtl.stage._
 
 import firrtl.{AnnotationSeq, EmitAllModulesAnnotation, EmitCircuitAnnotation}
 import firrtl.annotations.Annotation
-import firrtl.options.{OptionsException, Phase}
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, OptionsException, Phase, PreservesAll}
 
 /** [[firrtl.options.Phase Phase]] that strictly validates an [[AnnotationSeq]]. The checks applied are intended to be
   * extremeley strict. Nothing is inferred or assumed to take a default value (for default value resolution see
@@ -16,11 +16,15 @@ import firrtl.options.{OptionsException, Phase}
   * certain that other [[firrtl.options.Phase Phase]]s or views will succeed. See [[FirrtlStage]] for a list of
   * [[firrtl.options.Phase Phase]] that commonly run before this.
   */
-class Checks extends Phase {
+class Checks extends Phase with PreservesAll[Phase] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = Seq(Dependency[AddDefaults], Dependency[AddImplicitEmitter])
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
 
   /** Determine if annotations are sane
     *
-    * @param annos a sequence of [[annotation.Annotation]]
+    * @param annos a sequence of [[firrtl.annotations.Annotation Annotation]]
     * @return true if all checks pass
     * @throws firrtl.options.OptionsException if any checks fail
     */
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/Compiler.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/Compiler.scala
index 917e1a2c..3850d0a8 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/Compiler.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/Compiler.scala
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
 package firrtl.stage.phases
 
 import firrtl.{AnnotationSeq, ChirrtlForm, CircuitState, Compiler => FirrtlCompiler, Transform, seqToAnnoSeq}
-import firrtl.options.{Phase, PhasePrerequisiteException, Translator}
-import firrtl.stage.{CompilerAnnotation, FirrtlCircuitAnnotation,
-  RunFirrtlTransformAnnotation}
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, Phase, PhasePrerequisiteException, PreservesAll, Translator}
+import firrtl.stage.{CompilerAnnotation, FirrtlCircuitAnnotation, Forms, RunFirrtlTransformAnnotation}
+import firrtl.stage.TransformManager.TransformDependency
 
 import scala.collection.mutable
 
@@ -23,13 +23,13 @@ private [stage] case class Defaults(
   compiler: Option[FirrtlCompiler] = None)
 
 /** Runs the FIRRTL compilers on an [[AnnotationSeq]]. If the input [[AnnotationSeq]] contains more than one circuit
-  * (i.e., more than one [[FirrtlCircuitAnnotation]]), then annotations will be broken up and each run will be executed
-  * in parallel.
+  * (i.e., more than one [[firrtl.stage.FirrtlCircuitAnnotation FirrtlCircuitAnnotation]]), then annotations will be
+  * broken up and each run will be executed in parallel.
   *
   * The [[AnnotationSeq]] will be chunked up into compiler runs using the following algorithm. All annotations that
-  * occur before the first [[FirrtlCircuitAnnotation]] are treated as global annotations that apply to all circuits.
-  * Annotations after a circuit are only associated with their closest preceeding circuit. E.g., for the following
-  * annotations (where A, B, and C are some annotations):
+  * occur before the first [[firrtl.stage.FirrtlCircuitAnnotation FirrtlCircuitAnnotation]] are treated as global
+  * annotations that apply to all circuits. Annotations after a circuit are only associated with their closest
+  * preceeding circuit. E.g., for the following annotations (where A, B, and C are some annotations):
   *
   *    A(a), FirrtlCircuitAnnotation(x), B, FirrtlCircuitAnnotation(y), A(b), C, FirrtlCircuitAnnotation(z)
   *
@@ -42,7 +42,16 @@ private [stage] case class Defaults(
   * FirrtlCircuitAnnotation(y). Note: A(b) ''may'' overwrite A(a) if this is a CompilerAnnotation.
   * FirrtlCircuitAnnotation(z) has no annotations, so it only gets the default A(a).
   */
-class Compiler extends Phase with Translator[AnnotationSeq, Seq[CompilerRun]] {
+class Compiler extends Phase with Translator[AnnotationSeq, Seq[CompilerRun]] with PreservesAll[Phase] {
+
+  override val prerequisites =
+    Seq(Dependency[AddDefaults],
+        Dependency[AddImplicitEmitter],
+        Dependency[Checks],
+        Dependency[AddCircuit],
+        Dependency[AddImplicitOutputFile])
+
+  override val dependents = Seq(Dependency[WriteEmitted])
 
   /** Convert an [[AnnotationSeq]] into a sequence of compiler runs. */
   protected def aToB(a: AnnotationSeq): Seq[CompilerRun] = {
@@ -85,15 +94,32 @@ class Compiler extends Phase with Translator[AnnotationSeq, Seq[CompilerRun]] {
     */
   protected def internalTransform(b: Seq[CompilerRun]): Seq[CompilerRun] = {
     def f(c: CompilerRun): CompilerRun = {
-      val statex = c
-        .compiler
-        .getOrElse { throw new PhasePrerequisiteException("No compiler specified!") }
-        .compile(c.stateIn, c.transforms.reverse)
-      c.copy(stateOut = Some(statex))
+      val targets = c.compiler match {
+        case Some(d) => c.transforms.reverse.map(Dependency.fromTransform(_)) ++ compilerToTransforms(d)
+        case None    => throw new PhasePrerequisiteException("No compiler specified!") }
+      val tm = new firrtl.stage.transforms.Compiler(targets)
+      /* Transform order is lazily evaluated. Force it here to remove its resolution time from actual compilation. */
+      val (timeResolveDependencies, _) = firrtl.Utils.time { tm.flattenedTransformOrder }
+      logger.error(f"Computed transform order in: $timeResolveDependencies%.1f ms")
+      /* Show the determined transform order */
+      logger.info("Determined Transform order that will be executed:\n" + tm.prettyPrint("  "))
+      /* Run all determined transforms tracking how long everything takes to run */
+      val (timeExecute, annotationsOut) = firrtl.Utils.time { tm.transform(c.stateIn) }
+      logger.error(f"Total FIRRTL Compile Time: $timeExecute%.1f ms")
+      c.copy(stateOut = Some(annotationsOut))
     }
 
     if (b.size <= 1) { b.map(f)         }
     else             { b.par.map(f).seq }
   }
 
+  private def compilerToTransforms(a: FirrtlCompiler): Seq[TransformDependency] = a match {
+    case _: firrtl.NoneCompiler                                      => Forms.ChirrtlForm
+    case _: firrtl.HighFirrtlCompiler                                => Forms.HighForm
+    case _: firrtl.MiddleFirrtlCompiler                              => Forms.MidForm
+    case _: firrtl.LowFirrtlCompiler                                 => Forms.LowForm
+    case _: firrtl.VerilogCompiler | _: firrtl.SystemVerilogCompiler => Forms.LowFormOptimized
+    case _: firrtl.MinimumVerilogCompiler                            => Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/DriverCompatibility.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/DriverCompatibility.scala
index 665861ef..40640fb1 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/DriverCompatibility.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/DriverCompatibility.scala
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ import firrtl.{AnnotationSeq, EmitAllModulesAnnotation, EmitCircuitAnnotation, F
 import firrtl.annotations.NoTargetAnnotation
 import firrtl.FileUtils
 import firrtl.proto.FromProto
-import firrtl.options.{InputAnnotationFileAnnotation, OptionsException, Phase,
-  StageOptions, StageUtils}
+import firrtl.options.{InputAnnotationFileAnnotation, OptionsException, Phase, PreservesAll, StageOptions, StageUtils}
 import firrtl.options.Viewer
+import firrtl.options.Dependency
 
 import scopt.OptionParser
 
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ object DriverCompatibility {
   /** Indicates that the implicit emitter, derived from a [[CompilerAnnotation]] should be an [[EmitAllModulesAnnotation]]
     * as opposed to an [[EmitCircuitAnnotation]].
     */
-  private [firrtl] case object EmitOneFilePerModuleAnnotation extends NoTargetAnnotation {
+  case object EmitOneFilePerModuleAnnotation extends NoTargetAnnotation {
 
     def addOptions(p: OptionParser[AnnotationSeq]): Unit = p
       .opt[Unit]("split-modules")
@@ -105,10 +105,11 @@ object DriverCompatibility {
     * [[firrtl.options.InputAnnotationFileAnnotation InputAnnotationFileAnnotation]] is present.
     *
     * The implicit annotation file is determined through the following complicated semantics:
-    *   - If an [[InputAnnotationFileAnnotation]] already exists, then nothing is modified
+    *   - If an [[firrtl.options.InputAnnotationFileAnnotation InputAnnotationFileAnnotation]] already exists, then
+    *     nothing is modified
     *   - If the derived topName (the `main` in a [[firrtl.ir.Circuit Circuit]]) is ''discernable'' (see below) and a
     *     file called `topName.anno` (exactly, not `topName.anno.json`) exists, then this will add an
-    *     [[InputAnnotationFileAnnotation]] using that `topName.anno`
+    *     [[firrtl.options.InputAnnotationFileAnnotation InputAnnotationFileAnnotation]] using that `topName.anno`
     *   - If any of this doesn't work, then the the [[AnnotationSeq]] is unmodified
     *
     * The precedence for determining the `topName` is the following (first one wins):
@@ -121,9 +122,14 @@ object DriverCompatibility {
     * @param annos input annotations
     * @return output annotations
     */
-  class AddImplicitAnnotationFile extends Phase {
+  class AddImplicitAnnotationFile extends Phase with PreservesAll[Phase] {
 
-    /** Try to add an [[InputAnnotationFileAnnotation]] implicitly specified by an [[AnnotationSeq]]. */
+    override val prerequisites = Seq(Dependency[AddImplicitFirrtlFile])
+
+    override val dependents = Seq(Dependency[FirrtlPhase], Dependency[FirrtlStage])
+
+    /** Try to add an [[firrtl.options.InputAnnotationFileAnnotation InputAnnotationFileAnnotation]] implicitly specified by
+      * an [[AnnotationSeq]]. */
     def transform(annotations: AnnotationSeq): AnnotationSeq = annotations
       .collectFirst{ case a: InputAnnotationFileAnnotation => a } match {
         case Some(_) => annotations
@@ -155,7 +161,11 @@ object DriverCompatibility {
     * @param annotations input annotations
     * @return
     */
-  class AddImplicitFirrtlFile extends Phase {
+  class AddImplicitFirrtlFile extends Phase with PreservesAll[Phase] {
+
+    override val prerequisites = Seq.empty
+
+    override val dependents = Seq(Dependency[FirrtlPhase], Dependency[FirrtlStage])
 
     /** Try to add a [[FirrtlFileAnnotation]] implicitly specified by an [[AnnotationSeq]]. */
     def transform(annotations: AnnotationSeq): AnnotationSeq = {
@@ -174,7 +184,7 @@ object DriverCompatibility {
     }
   }
 
-  /** Adds an [[EmitAnnotation]] for each [[CompilerAnnotation]].
+  /** Adds an [[firrtl.EmitAnnotation EmitAnnotation]] for each [[CompilerAnnotation]].
     *
     * If an [[EmitOneFilePerModuleAnnotation]] exists, then this will add an [[EmitAllModulesAnnotation]]. Otherwise,
     * this adds an [[EmitCircuitAnnotation]]. This replicates old behavior where specifying a compiler automatically
@@ -182,7 +192,11 @@ object DriverCompatibility {
     */
   @deprecated("""AddImplicitEmitter should only be used to build Driver compatibility wrappers. Switch to Stage.""",
               "1.2")
-  class AddImplicitEmitter extends Phase {
+  class AddImplicitEmitter extends Phase with PreservesAll[Phase] {
+
+    override val prerequisites = Seq.empty
+
+    override val dependents = Seq(Dependency[FirrtlPhase], Dependency[FirrtlStage])
 
     /** Add one [[EmitAnnotation]] foreach [[CompilerAnnotation]]. */
     def transform(annotations: AnnotationSeq): AnnotationSeq = {
@@ -204,7 +218,11 @@ object DriverCompatibility {
     */
   @deprecated("""AddImplicitOutputFile should only be used to build Driver compatibility wrappers. Switch to Stage.""",
               "1.2")
-  class AddImplicitOutputFile extends Phase {
+  class AddImplicitOutputFile extends Phase with PreservesAll[Phase] {
+
+    override val prerequisites = Seq(Dependency[AddImplicitFirrtlFile])
+
+    override val dependents = Seq(Dependency[FirrtlPhase], Dependency[FirrtlStage])
 
     /** Add an [[OutputFileAnnotation]] derived from a [[TopNameAnnotation]] if needed. */
     def transform(annotations: AnnotationSeq): AnnotationSeq = {
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/WriteEmitted.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/WriteEmitted.scala
index 7c38ebbf..dcef4629 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/WriteEmitted.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/phases/WriteEmitted.scala
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 package firrtl.stage.phases
 
 import firrtl.{AnnotationSeq, EmittedModuleAnnotation, EmittedCircuitAnnotation}
-import firrtl.options.{Phase, StageOptions, Viewer}
+import firrtl.options.{Phase, PreservesAll, StageOptions, Viewer}
 import firrtl.stage.FirrtlOptions
 
 import java.io.PrintWriter
@@ -24,7 +24,11 @@ import java.io.PrintWriter
   *
   * Any annotations written to files will be deleted.
   */
-class WriteEmitted extends Phase {
+class WriteEmitted extends Phase with PreservesAll[Phase] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = Seq.empty
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
 
   /** Write any [[EmittedAnnotation]]s in an [[AnnotationSeq]] to files. Written [[EmittedAnnotation]]s are deleted. */
   def transform(annotations: AnnotationSeq): AnnotationSeq = {
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/transforms/CatchCustomTransformExceptions.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/transforms/CatchCustomTransformExceptions.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b8b8368
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/transforms/CatchCustomTransformExceptions.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+// See LICENSE for license details.
+
+package firrtl.stage.transforms
+
+import firrtl.{CircuitState, CustomTransformException, Transform}
+
+class CatchCustomTransformExceptions(val underlying: Transform) extends Transform with WrappedTransform {
+
+  override def execute(c: CircuitState): CircuitState = try {
+    underlying.execute(c)
+  } catch {
+    case e: Exception if CatchCustomTransformExceptions.isCustomTransform(trueUnderlying) => throw CustomTransformException(e)
+  }
+
+}
+
+object CatchCustomTransformExceptions {
+
+  private[firrtl] def isCustomTransform(xform: Transform): Boolean = {
+    def getTopPackage(pack: java.lang.Package): java.lang.Package =
+      Package.getPackage(pack.getName.split('.').head)
+    // We use the top package of the Driver to get the top firrtl package
+    Option(xform.getClass.getPackage).map { p =>
+      getTopPackage(p) != firrtl.Driver.getClass.getPackage
+    }.getOrElse(true)
+  }
+
+  def apply(a: Transform): CatchCustomTransformExceptions = new CatchCustomTransformExceptions(a)
+
+}
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/transforms/Compiler.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/transforms/Compiler.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ded50ce6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/transforms/Compiler.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+// See LICENSE for license details.
+
+package firrtl.stage.transforms
+
+import firrtl.{CircuitState, Transform, VerilogEmitter}
+import firrtl.options.DependencyManagerUtils.CharSet
+import firrtl.stage.TransformManager
+
+class Compiler(
+  targets: Seq[TransformManager.TransformDependency],
+  currentState: Seq[TransformManager.TransformDependency] = Seq.empty,
+  knownObjects: Set[Transform] = Set.empty) extends TransformManager(targets, currentState, knownObjects) {
+
+  override val wrappers = Seq(
+    (a: Transform) => CatchCustomTransformExceptions(a),
+    (a: Transform) => UpdateAnnotations(a)
+  )
+
+  override def customPrintHandling(
+    tab: String,
+    charSet: CharSet,
+    size: Int): Option[PartialFunction[(Transform, Int), Seq[String]]] = {
+
+    val (l, n, c) = (charSet.lastNode, charSet.notLastNode, charSet.continuation)
+    val last = size - 1
+
+    val f: PartialFunction[(Transform, Int), Seq[String]] = {
+      {
+        case (a: VerilogEmitter, `last`) =>
+          val firstTransforms = a.transforms.dropRight(1)
+          val lastTransform = a.transforms.last
+          Seq(s"$tab$l ${a.name}") ++
+            firstTransforms.map(t => s"""$tab${" " * c.size} $n ${t.name}""") :+
+            s"""$tab${" " * c.size} $l ${lastTransform.name}"""
+        case (a: VerilogEmitter, _) =>
+          val firstTransforms = a.transforms.dropRight(1)
+          val lastTransform = a.transforms.last
+          Seq(s"$tab$n ${a.name}") ++
+            firstTransforms.map(t => s"""$tab$c $n ${t.name}""") :+
+            s"""$tab$c $l ${lastTransform.name}"""
+      }
+    }
+
+    Some(f)
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/transforms/TrackTransforms.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/transforms/TrackTransforms.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6c77cd1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/transforms/TrackTransforms.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+// See LICENSE for license details.
+
+package firrtl.stage.transforms
+
+import firrtl.{AnnotationSeq, CircuitState, Transform}
+import firrtl.annotations.NoTargetAnnotation
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, DependencyManagerException}
+
+case class TransformHistoryAnnotation(history: Seq[Transform], state: Set[Transform]) extends NoTargetAnnotation {
+
+  def add(transform: Transform,
+          invalidates: (Transform) => Boolean = (a: Transform) => false): TransformHistoryAnnotation =
+    this.copy(
+      history = transform +: this.history,
+      state = (this.state + transform).filterNot(invalidates)
+    )
+
+}
+
+object TransformHistoryAnnotation {
+
+  def apply(transform: Transform): TransformHistoryAnnotation = TransformHistoryAnnotation(
+    history = Seq(transform),
+    state = Set(transform)
+  )
+
+}
+
+class TrackTransforms(val underlying: Transform) extends Transform with WrappedTransform {
+
+  private def updateState(annotations: AnnotationSeq): AnnotationSeq = {
+    var foundAnnotation = false
+    val annotationsx = annotations.map {
+      case x: TransformHistoryAnnotation =>
+        foundAnnotation = true
+        x.add(trueUnderlying)
+      case x => x
+    }
+    if (!foundAnnotation) {
+      TransformHistoryAnnotation(trueUnderlying) +: annotationsx
+    } else {
+      annotationsx
+    }
+  }
+
+  override def execute(c: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
+    val state = c.annotations
+      .collectFirst{ case TransformHistoryAnnotation(_, state) => state }
+      .getOrElse(Set.empty[Transform])
+      .map(Dependency.fromTransform(_))
+
+    if (!trueUnderlying.prerequisites.toSet.subsetOf(state)) {
+      throw new DependencyManagerException(
+        s"""|Tried to execute Transform '$trueUnderlying' for which run-time prerequisites were not satisfied:
+            |  state: ${state.mkString("\n    -", "\n    -", "")}
+            |  prerequisites: ${trueUnderlying.prerequisites.mkString("\n    -", "\n    -", "")}""".stripMargin)
+    }
+
+    val out = underlying.execute(c)
+    out.copy(annotations = updateState(out.annotations))
+  }
+
+}
+
+object TrackTransforms {
+
+  def apply(a: Transform): Transform = new TrackTransforms(a)
+
+}
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/transforms/UpdateAnnotations.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/transforms/UpdateAnnotations.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aad0ab48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/transforms/UpdateAnnotations.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+// See LICENSE for license details.
+
+package firrtl.stage.transforms
+
+import firrtl.{AnnotationSeq, CircuitState, RenameMap, Transform, Utils}
+import firrtl.annotations.{Annotation, DeletedAnnotation}
+import firrtl.options.Translator
+
+import scala.collection.mutable
+
+class UpdateAnnotations(val underlying: Transform) extends Transform with WrappedTransform
+    with Translator[CircuitState, (CircuitState, CircuitState)] {
+
+  override def execute(c: CircuitState): CircuitState = underlying.execute(c)
+
+  def aToB(a: CircuitState): (CircuitState, CircuitState) = (a, a)
+
+  def bToA(b: (CircuitState, CircuitState)): CircuitState = {
+    val (state, result) = (b._1, b._2)
+
+    val remappedAnnotations = propagateAnnotations(state.annotations, result.annotations, result.renames)
+
+    logger.info(s"Form: ${result.form}")
+
+    logger.debug(s"Annotations:")
+    remappedAnnotations.foreach( a => logger.debug(a.serialize) )
+
+    logger.trace(s"Circuit:\n${result.circuit.serialize}")
+    logger.info(s"======== Finished Transform $name ========\n")
+
+    CircuitState(result.circuit, result.form, remappedAnnotations, None)
+  }
+
+  def internalTransform(b: (CircuitState, CircuitState)): (CircuitState, CircuitState) = {
+    logger.info(s"======== Starting Transform $name ========")
+
+    /* @todo: prepare should likely be factored out of this */
+    val (timeMillis, result) = Utils.time { execute( trueUnderlying.prepare(b._2) ) }
+
+    logger.info(s"""----------------------------${"-" * name.size}---------\n""")
+    logger.info(f"Time: $timeMillis%.1f ms")
+
+    (b._1, result)
+  }
+
+  /** Propagate annotations and update their names.
+    *
+    * @param inAnno input AnnotationSeq
+    * @param resAnno result AnnotationSeq
+    * @param renameOpt result RenameMap
+    * @return the updated annotations
+    */
+  private[firrtl] def propagateAnnotations(
+      inAnno: AnnotationSeq,
+      resAnno: AnnotationSeq,
+      renameOpt: Option[RenameMap]): AnnotationSeq = {
+    val newAnnotations = {
+      val inSet = mutable.LinkedHashSet() ++ inAnno
+      val resSet = mutable.LinkedHashSet() ++ resAnno
+      val deleted = (inSet -- resSet).map {
+        case DeletedAnnotation(xFormName, delAnno) => DeletedAnnotation(s"$xFormName+$name", delAnno)
+        case anno => DeletedAnnotation(name, anno)
+      }
+      val created = resSet -- inSet
+      val unchanged = resSet & inSet
+      (deleted ++ created ++ unchanged)
+    }
+
+    // For each annotation, rename all annotations.
+    val renames = renameOpt.getOrElse(RenameMap())
+    val remapped2original = mutable.LinkedHashMap[Annotation, mutable.LinkedHashSet[Annotation]]()
+    val keysOfNote = mutable.LinkedHashSet[Annotation]()
+    val finalAnnotations = newAnnotations.flatMap { anno =>
+      val remappedAnnos = anno.update(renames)
+      remappedAnnos.foreach { remapped =>
+        val set = remapped2original.getOrElseUpdate(remapped, mutable.LinkedHashSet.empty[Annotation])
+        set += anno
+        if(set.size > 1) keysOfNote += remapped
+      }
+      remappedAnnos
+    }.toSeq
+    keysOfNote.foreach { key =>
+      logger.debug(s"""The following original annotations are renamed to the same new annotation.""")
+      logger.debug(s"""Original Annotations:\n  ${remapped2original(key).mkString("\n  ")}""")
+      logger.debug(s"""New Annotation:\n  $key""")
+    }
+    finalAnnotations
+  }
+}
+
+object UpdateAnnotations {
+
+  def apply(a: Transform): UpdateAnnotations = new UpdateAnnotations(a)
+
+}
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/transforms/WrappedTransform.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/transforms/WrappedTransform.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5fcfa250
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/stage/transforms/WrappedTransform.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+// See LICENSE for license details.
+
+package firrtl.stage.transforms
+
+import firrtl.Transform
+
+/** A [[firrtl.Transform]] that "wraps" a second [[firrtl.Transform Transform]] to do some work before and after the
+  * second [[firrtl.Transform Transform]].
+  *
+  * This is intended to synergize with the [[firrtl.options.DependencyManager.wrappers]] method.
+  * @see [[firrtl.stage.transforms.CatchCustomTransformExceptions]]
+  * @see [[firrtl.stage.transforms.TrackTransforms]]
+  * @see [[firrtl.stage.transforms.UpdateAnnotations]]
+  */
+trait WrappedTransform { this: Transform =>
+
+  /** The underlying [[firrtl.Transform]] */
+  val underlying: Transform
+
+  /** Return the original [[firrtl.Transform]] if this wrapper is wrapping other wrappers. */
+  lazy final val trueUnderlying: Transform = underlying match {
+    case a: WrappedTransform => a.trueUnderlying
+    case _ => underlying
+  }
+
+  override final val inputForm = underlying.inputForm
+  override final val outputForm = underlying.outputForm
+  override final val prerequisites = underlying.prerequisites
+  override final val dependents = underlying.dependents
+  override final def invalidates(b: Transform): Boolean = underlying.invalidates(b)
+  override final lazy val name = underlying.name
+
+}
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/BlackBoxSourceHelper.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/BlackBoxSourceHelper.scala
index b62cf7a1..07cf09b0 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/BlackBoxSourceHelper.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/BlackBoxSourceHelper.scala
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import java.io.{File, FileNotFoundException, FileInputStream, FileOutputStream,
 
 import firrtl._
 import firrtl.annotations._
+import firrtl.options.PreservesAll
 
 import scala.collection.immutable.ListSet
 
@@ -54,12 +55,18 @@ class BlackBoxNotFoundException(fileName: String, message: String) extends Firrt
   * will set the directory where the Verilog will be written.  This annotation is typically be
   * set by the execution harness, or directly in the tests
   */
-class BlackBoxSourceHelper extends firrtl.Transform {
+class BlackBoxSourceHelper extends firrtl.Transform with PreservesAll[Transform] {
   import BlackBoxSourceHelper._
   private val DefaultTargetDir = new File(".")
   override def inputForm: CircuitForm = LowForm
   override def outputForm: CircuitForm = LowForm
 
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormOptimized
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
+
   /** Collect BlackBoxHelperAnnos and and find the target dir if specified
     * @param annos a list of generic annotations for this transform
     * @return BlackBoxHelperAnnos and target directory
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/CheckCombLoops.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/CheckCombLoops.scala
index bb5d88e7..b7ba5c5e 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/CheckCombLoops.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/CheckCombLoops.scala
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ package firrtl.transforms
 
 import scala.collection.mutable
 
-
 import firrtl._
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.passes.{Errors, PassException}
@@ -13,7 +12,7 @@ import firrtl.annotations._
 import firrtl.Utils.throwInternalError
 import firrtl.graph._
 import firrtl.analyses.InstanceGraph
-import firrtl.options.{RegisteredTransform, ShellOption}
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll, RegisteredTransform, ShellOption}
 
 /*
  * A case class that represents a net in the circuit. This is
@@ -95,10 +94,19 @@ case class CombinationalPath(sink: ReferenceTarget, sources: Seq[ReferenceTarget
   * @note The pass relies on ExtModulePathAnnotations to find loops through ExtModules
   * @note The pass will throw exceptions on "false paths"
   */
-class CheckCombLoops extends Transform with RegisteredTransform {
+class CheckCombLoops extends Transform with RegisteredTransform with PreservesAll[Transform] {
   def inputForm = LowForm
   def outputForm = LowForm
 
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.MidForm ++
+    Seq( Dependency(passes.LowerTypes),
+         Dependency(passes.Legalize),
+         Dependency(firrtl.transforms.RemoveReset) )
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = Seq.empty
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
+
   import CheckCombLoops._
 
   val options = Seq(
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/CombineCats.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/CombineCats.scala
index ac8fc5fb..8f5972e1 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/CombineCats.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/CombineCats.scala
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.PrimOps._
 import firrtl.WrappedExpression._
 import firrtl.annotations.NoTargetAnnotation
+import firrtl.options.PreservesAll
+import firrtl.options.Dependency
 
 import scala.collection.mutable
 
@@ -51,9 +53,22 @@ object CombineCats {
   * Use [[MaxCatLenAnnotation]] to limit the number of elements that can be concatenated.
   * The default maximum number of elements is 10.
   */
-class CombineCats extends Transform {
+class CombineCats extends Transform with PreservesAll[Transform] {
   def inputForm: LowForm.type = LowForm
   def outputForm: LowForm.type = LowForm
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowForm ++
+    Seq( Dependency(passes.RemoveValidIf),
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.ConstantPropagation],
+         Dependency(firrtl.passes.memlib.VerilogMemDelays),
+         Dependency(firrtl.passes.SplitExpressions) )
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = Seq.empty
+
+  override val dependents = Seq(
+    Dependency[SystemVerilogEmitter],
+    Dependency[VerilogEmitter] )
+
   val defaultMaxCatLen = 10
 
   def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/ConstantPropagation.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/ConstantPropagation.scala
index 55c897b3..c11bc44d 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/ConstantPropagation.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/ConstantPropagation.scala
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import firrtl.PrimOps._
 import firrtl.graph.DiGraph
 import firrtl.analyses.InstanceGraph
 import firrtl.annotations.TargetToken.Ref
+import firrtl.options.Dependency
 
 import annotation.tailrec
 import collection.mutable
@@ -102,6 +103,25 @@ class ConstantPropagation extends Transform with ResolvedAnnotationPaths {
   def inputForm = LowForm
   def outputForm = LowForm
 
+  override val prerequisites =
+    ((new mutable.LinkedHashSet())
+       ++ firrtl.stage.Forms.LowForm
+       - Dependency(firrtl.passes.Legalize)
+       + Dependency(firrtl.passes.RemoveValidIf)).toSeq
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = Seq.empty
+
+  override val dependents =
+    Seq( Dependency(firrtl.passes.memlib.VerilogMemDelays),
+         Dependency(firrtl.passes.SplitExpressions),
+         Dependency[SystemVerilogEmitter],
+         Dependency[VerilogEmitter] )
+
+  override def invalidates(a: Transform): Boolean = a match {
+    case firrtl.passes.Legalize => true
+    case _ => false
+  }
+
   override val annotationClasses: Traversable[Class[_]] = Seq(classOf[DontTouchAnnotation])
 
   sealed trait SimplifyBinaryOp {
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/DeadCodeElimination.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/DeadCodeElimination.scala
index 983f1048..04f1c7d2 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/DeadCodeElimination.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/DeadCodeElimination.scala
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import firrtl.analyses.InstanceGraph
 import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.Utils.{throwInternalError, kind}
 import firrtl.MemoizedHash._
-import firrtl.options.{RegisteredTransform, ShellOption}
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll, RegisteredTransform, ShellOption}
 
 import collection.mutable
 
@@ -29,9 +29,29 @@ import collection.mutable
   * circumstances of their instantiation in their parent module, they will still not be removed. To
   * remove such modules, use the [[NoDedupAnnotation]] to prevent deduplication.
   */
-class DeadCodeElimination extends Transform with ResolvedAnnotationPaths with RegisteredTransform {
-  def inputForm = LowForm
-  def outputForm = LowForm
+class DeadCodeElimination extends Transform with ResolvedAnnotationPaths with RegisteredTransform
+    with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+  def inputForm = UnknownForm
+  def outputForm = UnknownForm
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowForm ++
+    Seq( Dependency(firrtl.passes.RemoveValidIf),
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.ConstantPropagation],
+         Dependency(firrtl.passes.memlib.VerilogMemDelays),
+         Dependency(firrtl.passes.SplitExpressions),
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.CombineCats],
+         Dependency(passes.CommonSubexpressionElimination) )
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = Seq.empty
+
+  override val dependents =
+    Seq( Dependency[firrtl.transforms.BlackBoxSourceHelper],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic],
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.FlattenRegUpdate],
+         Dependency(passes.VerilogModulusCleanup),
+         Dependency[firrtl.transforms.VerilogRename],
+         Dependency(passes.VerilogPrep),
+         Dependency[firrtl.AddDescriptionNodes] )
 
   val options = Seq(
     new ShellOption[Unit](
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/Dedup.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/Dedup.scala
index 0667a184..5caa9228 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/Dedup.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/Dedup.scala
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import firrtl.analyses.InstanceGraph
 import firrtl.annotations._
 import firrtl.passes.{InferTypes, MemPortUtils}
 import firrtl.Utils.throwInternalError
-import firrtl.options.{HasShellOptions, ShellOption}
+import firrtl.options.{HasShellOptions, PreservesAll, ShellOption}
 
 // Datastructures
 import scala.collection.mutable
@@ -39,10 +39,14 @@ case object NoCircuitDedupAnnotation extends NoTargetAnnotation with HasShellOpt
   * Specifically, the restriction of instance loops must have been checked, or else this pass can
   *  infinitely recurse
   */
-class DedupModules extends Transform {
+class DedupModules extends Transform with PreservesAll[Transform] {
   def inputForm: CircuitForm = HighForm
   def outputForm: CircuitForm = HighForm
 
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.Resolved
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
+
   /** Deduplicate a Circuit
     * @param state Input Firrtl AST
     * @return A transformed Firrtl AST
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/FixAddingNegativeLiteralsTransform.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/FixAddingNegativeLiteralsTransform.scala
index 08bf4af4..59d14ab2 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/FixAddingNegativeLiteralsTransform.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/FixAddingNegativeLiteralsTransform.scala
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@
 
 package firrtl.transforms
 
-import firrtl.{CircuitState, LowForm, Namespace, PrimOps, Transform, Utils, WRef}
+import firrtl.{CircuitState, Namespace, PrimOps, Transform, UnknownForm, Utils, WRef}
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 import firrtl.PrimOps.{Add, AsSInt, Sub, Tail}
+import firrtl.stage.Forms
 
 import scala.collection.mutable
 
@@ -105,9 +107,15 @@ object FixAddingNegativeLiterals {
   * the literal and thus not all expressions in the add are the same. This is fixed here when we directly
   * subtract the literal instead.
   */
-class FixAddingNegativeLiterals extends Transform {
-  def inputForm = LowForm
-  def outputForm = LowForm
+class FixAddingNegativeLiterals extends Transform with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+  def inputForm = UnknownForm
+  def outputForm = UnknownForm
+
+  override val prerequisites = Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized :+ Dependency[BlackBoxSourceHelper]
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormOptimized
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
 
   def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
     val modulesx = state.circuit.modules.map(FixAddingNegativeLiterals.fixupModule)
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/FlattenRegUpdate.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/FlattenRegUpdate.scala
index 2d04dc89..eadbb0cb 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/FlattenRegUpdate.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/FlattenRegUpdate.scala
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package transforms
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.Utils._
+import firrtl.options.Dependency
 
 import scala.collection.mutable
 
@@ -105,8 +106,25 @@ object FlattenRegUpdate {
   */
 // TODO Preserve source locators
 class FlattenRegUpdate extends Transform {
-  def inputForm = MidForm
-  def outputForm = MidForm
+  def inputForm = UnknownForm
+  def outputForm = UnknownForm
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized ++
+    Seq( Dependency[BlackBoxSourceHelper],
+         Dependency[FixAddingNegativeLiterals],
+         Dependency[ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic],
+         Dependency[InlineBitExtractionsTransform],
+         Dependency[InlineCastsTransform],
+         Dependency[LegalizeClocksTransform] )
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormOptimized
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
+
+  override def invalidates(a: Transform): Boolean = a match {
+    case _: DeadCodeElimination => true
+    case _ => false
+  }
 
   def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
     val modulesx = state.circuit.modules.map {
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/GroupComponents.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/GroupComponents.scala
index c617e685..9e3d639d 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/GroupComponents.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/GroupComponents.scala
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ class GroupComponents extends firrtl.Transform {
       case other => Seq(other)
     }
     val cs = state.copy(circuit = state.circuit.copy(modules = newModules))
+    /* @todo move ResolveKinds and InferTypes out */
     val csx = ResolveKinds.execute(InferTypes.execute(cs))
     csx
   }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/InferResets.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/InferResets.scala
index 026b15fc..72724b27 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/InferResets.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/InferResets.scala
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.traversals.Foreachers._
 import firrtl.annotations.{ReferenceTarget, TargetToken}
 import firrtl.Utils.{toTarget, throwInternalError}
+import firrtl.options.Dependency
 import firrtl.passes.{Pass, PassException, InferTypes}
 import firrtl.graph.MutableDiGraph
 
@@ -110,8 +111,21 @@ object InferResets {
   */
 // TODO should we error if a DefMemory is of type AsyncReset? In CheckTypes?
 class InferResets extends Transform {
-  def inputForm: CircuitForm = HighForm
-  def outputForm: CircuitForm = HighForm
+
+  def inputForm: CircuitForm = UnknownForm
+  def outputForm: CircuitForm = UnknownForm
+
+  override val prerequisites =
+    Seq( Dependency(passes.ResolveKinds),
+         Dependency(passes.InferTypes),
+         Dependency(passes.Uniquify),
+         Dependency(passes.ResolveFlows),
+         Dependency[passes.InferWidths] ) ++ stage.Forms.WorkingIR
+
+  override def invalidates(a: Transform): Boolean = a match {
+    case _: checks.CheckResets | passes.CheckTypes => true
+    case _                                         => false
+  }
 
   import InferResets._
 
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/InlineBitExtractions.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/InlineBitExtractions.scala
index c4f40700..617dff96 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/InlineBitExtractions.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/InlineBitExtractions.scala
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package transforms
 
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 import firrtl.PrimOps.{Bits, Head, Tail, Shr}
 import firrtl.Utils.{isBitExtract, isTemp}
 import firrtl.WrappedExpression._
@@ -91,10 +92,19 @@ object InlineBitExtractionsTransform {
 }
 
 /** Inline nodes that are simple bits */
-class InlineBitExtractionsTransform extends Transform {
+class InlineBitExtractionsTransform extends Transform with PreservesAll[Transform] {
   def inputForm = UnknownForm
   def outputForm = UnknownForm
 
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized ++
+    Seq( Dependency[BlackBoxSourceHelper],
+         Dependency[FixAddingNegativeLiterals],
+         Dependency[ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic] )
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormOptimized
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
+
   def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
     val modulesx = state.circuit.modules.map(InlineBitExtractionsTransform.onMod(_))
     state.copy(circuit = state.circuit.copy(modules = modulesx))
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/InlineCasts.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/InlineCasts.scala
index e504eb70..91ba7578 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/InlineCasts.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/InlineCasts.scala
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package transforms
 
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 
 import firrtl.Utils.{isCast, NodeMap}
 
@@ -59,9 +60,19 @@ object InlineCastsTransform {
 }
 
 /** Inline nodes that are simple casts */
-class InlineCastsTransform extends Transform {
-  def inputForm = LowForm
-  def outputForm = LowForm
+class InlineCastsTransform extends Transform with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+  def inputForm = UnknownForm
+  def outputForm = UnknownForm
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized ++
+    Seq( Dependency[BlackBoxSourceHelper],
+         Dependency[FixAddingNegativeLiterals],
+         Dependency[ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic],
+         Dependency[InlineBitExtractionsTransform] )
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormOptimized
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
 
   def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
     val modulesx = state.circuit.modules.map(InlineCastsTransform.onMod(_))
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/LegalizeClocks.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/LegalizeClocks.scala
index 1c2fc045..d87cd735 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/LegalizeClocks.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/LegalizeClocks.scala
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package transforms
 
 import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 import firrtl.Utils.isCast
 
 // Fixup otherwise legal Verilog that lint tools and other tools don't like
@@ -58,9 +59,20 @@ object LegalizeClocksTransform {
 }
 
 /** Ensure Clocks to be emitted are legal Verilog */
-class LegalizeClocksTransform extends Transform {
-  def inputForm = LowForm
-  def outputForm = LowForm
+class LegalizeClocksTransform extends Transform with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+  def inputForm = UnknownForm
+  def outputForm = UnknownForm
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized ++
+    Seq( Dependency[BlackBoxSourceHelper],
+         Dependency[FixAddingNegativeLiterals],
+         Dependency[ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic],
+         Dependency[InlineBitExtractionsTransform],
+         Dependency[InlineCastsTransform] )
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormOptimized
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
 
   def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
     val modulesx = state.circuit.modules.map(LegalizeClocksTransform.onMod(_))
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/RemoveKeywordCollisions.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/RemoveKeywordCollisions.scala
index 1f0202d1..fdb0090e 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/RemoveKeywordCollisions.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/RemoveKeywordCollisions.scala
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import firrtl.ir
 import firrtl.passes.{Uniquify, PassException}
 import firrtl.Utils.v_keywords
 import firrtl.Mappers._
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
+
 import scala.collection.mutable
 
 /** Transform that removes collisions with reserved keywords
@@ -19,8 +21,8 @@ import scala.collection.mutable
   * @define implicitScope @param scope the enclosing scope of this name. If [[None]], then this is a [[Circuit]] name
   */
 class RemoveKeywordCollisions(keywords: Set[String]) extends Transform {
-  val inputForm: CircuitForm = LowForm
-  val outputForm: CircuitForm = LowForm
+  val inputForm: CircuitForm = UnknownForm
+  val outputForm: CircuitForm = UnknownForm
   private type ModuleType = mutable.HashMap[String, ir.Type]
   private val inlineDelim = "_"
 
@@ -231,4 +233,20 @@ class RemoveKeywordCollisions(keywords: Set[String]) extends Transform {
 }
 
 /** Transform that removes collisions with Verilog keywords */
-class VerilogRename extends RemoveKeywordCollisions(v_keywords)
+class VerilogRename extends RemoveKeywordCollisions(v_keywords) with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized ++
+    Seq( Dependency[BlackBoxSourceHelper],
+         Dependency[FixAddingNegativeLiterals],
+         Dependency[ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic],
+         Dependency[InlineBitExtractionsTransform],
+         Dependency[InlineCastsTransform],
+         Dependency[LegalizeClocksTransform],
+         Dependency[FlattenRegUpdate],
+         Dependency(passes.VerilogModulusCleanup) )
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormOptimized
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
+
+}
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/RemoveReset.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/RemoveReset.scala
index ed1baf7d..75d64b76 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/RemoveReset.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/RemoveReset.scala
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.traversals.Foreachers._
 import firrtl.WrappedExpression.we
+import firrtl.options.Dependency
 
 import scala.collection.{immutable, mutable}
 
@@ -14,9 +15,22 @@ import scala.collection.{immutable, mutable}
   *
   * @note This pass must run after LowerTypes
   */
-class RemoveReset extends Transform {
-  def inputForm = MidForm
-  def outputForm = MidForm
+object RemoveReset extends Transform {
+  def inputForm = LowForm
+  def outputForm = LowForm
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.MidForm ++
+    Seq( Dependency(passes.LowerTypes),
+         Dependency(passes.Legalize) )
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = Seq.empty
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
+
+  override def invalidates(a: Transform): Boolean = a match {
+    case firrtl.passes.ResolveFlows => true
+    case _                          => false
+  }
 
   private case class Reset(cond: Expression, value: Expression)
 
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/RemoveWires.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/RemoveWires.scala
index 825cdb60..5e6b7910 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/RemoveWires.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/RemoveWires.scala
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.traversals.Foreachers._
 import firrtl.WrappedExpression._
 import firrtl.graph.{MutableDiGraph, CyclicException}
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 
 import scala.collection.mutable
 import scala.util.{Try, Success, Failure}
@@ -19,10 +20,20 @@ import scala.util.{Try, Success, Failure}
   *  wires have multiple connections that may be impossible to order in a
   *  flow-foward way
   */
-class RemoveWires extends Transform {
+class RemoveWires extends Transform with PreservesAll[Transform] {
   def inputForm = LowForm
   def outputForm = LowForm
 
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.MidForm ++
+    Seq( Dependency(passes.LowerTypes),
+         Dependency(passes.Legalize),
+         Dependency(transforms.RemoveReset),
+         Dependency[transforms.CheckCombLoops] )
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = Seq(Dependency[checks.CheckResets])
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
+
   // Extract all expressions that are references to a Node, Wire, or Reg
   // Since we are operating on LowForm, they can only be WRefs
   private def extractNodeWireRegRefs(expr: Expression): Seq[WRef] = {
@@ -140,6 +151,7 @@ class RemoveWires extends Transform {
     }
   }
 
+  /* @todo move ResolveKinds outside */
   private val cleanup = Seq(
     passes.ResolveKinds
   )
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic.scala
index 8aa1553a..c8129450 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/transforms/ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic.scala
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.Mappers._
 import firrtl.PrimOps._
 import firrtl.WrappedExpression._
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, PreservesAll}
 
 import scala.collection.mutable
 
@@ -76,9 +77,17 @@ object ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic {
   * @note This replaces some FIRRTL primops with ops that are not actually legal FIRRTL. They are
   * useful for emission to languages that support non-expanding arithmetic (like Verilog)
   */
-class ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic extends Transform {
-  def inputForm = LowForm
-  def outputForm = LowForm
+class ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic extends Transform with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+  def inputForm = UnknownForm
+  def outputForm = UnknownForm
+
+  override val prerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized ++
+    Seq( Dependency[BlackBoxSourceHelper],
+         Dependency[FixAddingNegativeLiterals] )
+
+  override val optionalPrerequisites = firrtl.stage.Forms.LowFormOptimized
+
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
 
   def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
     val modulesx = state.circuit.modules.map(ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic.onMod(_))
diff --git a/src/main/scala/logger/Logger.scala b/src/main/scala/logger/Logger.scala
index e37a45e4..e95ea643 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/logger/Logger.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/logger/Logger.scala
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ object Logger {
     */
   def setOptions(inputAnnotations: AnnotationSeq): Unit = {
     val annotations =
-      Seq( AddDefaults, Checks )
+      Seq( new AddDefaults, Checks )
       .foldLeft(inputAnnotations)((a, p) => p.transform(a))
 
     val lopts = view[LoggerOptions](annotations)
diff --git a/src/main/scala/logger/phases/AddDefaults.scala b/src/main/scala/logger/phases/AddDefaults.scala
index f6daa811..3368283e 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/logger/phases/AddDefaults.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/logger/phases/AddDefaults.scala
@@ -3,12 +3,15 @@
 package logger.phases
 
 import firrtl.AnnotationSeq
-import firrtl.options.Phase
+import firrtl.options.{Phase, PreservesAll}
 
 import logger.{LoggerOption, LogLevelAnnotation}
 
 /** Add default logger [[Annotation]]s */
-private [logger] object AddDefaults extends Phase {
+private [logger] class AddDefaults extends Phase with PreservesAll[Phase] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = Seq.empty
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
 
   /** Add missing default [[Logger]] [[Annotation]]s to an [[AnnotationSeq]]
     * @param annotations input annotations
diff --git a/src/main/scala/logger/phases/Checks.scala b/src/main/scala/logger/phases/Checks.scala
index c706948c..1e1ccfe6 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/logger/phases/Checks.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/logger/phases/Checks.scala
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ package logger.phases
 
 import firrtl.AnnotationSeq
 import firrtl.annotations.Annotation
-import firrtl.options.Phase
+import firrtl.options.{Dependency, Phase, PreservesAll}
 
 import logger.{LogLevelAnnotation, LogFileAnnotation, LoggerException}
 
@@ -12,7 +12,10 @@ import scala.collection.mutable
 
 /** Check that an [[firrtl.AnnotationSeq AnnotationSeq]] has all necessary [[firrtl.annotations.Annotation Annotation]]s
   * for a [[Logger]] */
-object Checks extends Phase {
+object Checks extends Phase with PreservesAll[Phase] {
+
+  override val prerequisites = Seq(Dependency[AddDefaults])
+  override val dependents = Seq.empty
 
   /** Ensure that an [[firrtl.AnnotationSeq AnnotationSeq]] has necessary [[Logger]] [[firrtl.annotations.Annotation
     * Annotation]]s
diff --git a/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/AnnotationTests.scala b/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/AnnotationTests.scala
index 03e3198e..a1c6580d 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/AnnotationTests.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/AnnotationTests.scala
@@ -627,7 +627,7 @@ class JsonAnnotationTests extends AnnotationTests with BackendCompilationUtiliti
     override def inputForm: CircuitForm = UnknownForm
     override def outputForm: CircuitForm = UnknownForm
 
-    protected def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = state
+    def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = state
   }
 
   "annotation order" should "should be preserved" in {
diff --git a/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/CInferMDirSpec.scala b/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/CInferMDirSpec.scala
index e03d1ab9..715e0cda 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/CInferMDirSpec.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/CInferMDirSpec.scala
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import firrtl.ir._
 import firrtl.passes._
 import firrtl.transforms._
 
-class CInferMDir extends LowTransformSpec {
+class CInferMDirSpec extends LowTransformSpec {
   object CInferMDirCheckPass extends Pass {
     // finds the memory and check its read port
     def checkStmt(s: Statement): Boolean = s match {
diff --git a/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/CustomTransformSpec.scala b/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/CustomTransformSpec.scala
index 04cbf276..809f2b1e 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/CustomTransformSpec.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/CustomTransformSpec.scala
@@ -6,12 +6,15 @@ import firrtl.ir.Circuit
 import firrtl._
 import firrtl.passes.Pass
 import firrtl.ir._
-import firrtl.stage.{FirrtlSourceAnnotation, FirrtlStage, RunFirrtlTransformAnnotation}
+import firrtl.stage.{FirrtlSourceAnnotation, FirrtlStage, Forms, RunFirrtlTransformAnnotation}
+import firrtl.options.Dependency
+import firrtl.transforms.IdentityTransform
 
-class CustomTransformSpec extends FirrtlFlatSpec {
-  behavior of "Custom Transforms"
+import scala.reflect.runtime
 
-  they should "be able to introduce high firrtl" in {
+object CustomTransformSpec {
+
+  class ReplaceExtModuleTransform extends SeqTransform with FirrtlMatchers {
     // Simple module
     val delayModuleString = """
       |circuit Delay :
@@ -31,38 +34,99 @@ class CustomTransformSpec extends FirrtlFlatSpec {
     val delayModuleCircuit = parse(delayModuleString)
     val delayModule = delayModuleCircuit.modules.find(_.name == delayModuleCircuit.main).get
 
-    class ReplaceExtModuleTransform extends SeqTransform {
-      class ReplaceExtModule extends Pass {
-        def run(c: Circuit): Circuit = c.copy(
-          modules = c.modules map {
-            case ExtModule(_, "Delay", _, _, _) => delayModule
-            case other => other
-          }
-        )
-      }
-      def transforms = Seq(new ReplaceExtModule)
-      def inputForm = LowForm
-      def outputForm = HighForm
+    class ReplaceExtModule extends Pass {
+      def run(c: Circuit): Circuit = c.copy(
+        modules = c.modules map {
+          case ExtModule(_, "Delay", _, _, _) => delayModule
+          case other => other
+        }
+      )
     }
-
-    runFirrtlTest("CustomTransform", "/features", customTransforms = List(new ReplaceExtModuleTransform))
+    def transforms = Seq(new ReplaceExtModule)
+    def inputForm = LowForm
+    def outputForm = HighForm
   }
 
-  they should "not cause \"Internal Errors\"" in {
-    val input = """
+  val input = """
       |circuit test :
       |  module test :
       |    output out : UInt
       |    out <= UInt(123)""".stripMargin
-    val errorString = "My Custom Transform failed!"
-    class ErroringTransform extends Transform {
+  val errorString = "My Custom Transform failed!"
+  class ErroringTransform extends Transform {
+    def inputForm = HighForm
+    def outputForm = HighForm
+    def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
+      require(false, errorString)
+      state
+    }
+  }
+
+  object MutableState {
+    var count: Int = 0
+  }
+
+  class FirstTransform extends Transform {
+    def inputForm = HighForm
+    def outputForm = HighForm
+
+    def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
+      require(MutableState.count == 0, s"Count was ${MutableState.count}, expected 0")
+      MutableState.count = 1
+      state
+    }
+  }
+
+  class SecondTransform extends Transform {
+    def inputForm = HighForm
+    def outputForm = HighForm
+
+    def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
+      require(MutableState.count == 1, s"Count was ${MutableState.count}, expected 1")
+      MutableState.count = 2
+      state
+    }
+  }
+
+  class ThirdTransform extends Transform {
+    def inputForm = HighForm
+    def outputForm = HighForm
+
+    def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
+      require(MutableState.count == 2, s"Count was ${MutableState.count}, expected 2")
+      MutableState.count = 3
+      state
+    }
+  }
+
+  class IdentityLowForm extends IdentityTransform(LowForm) {
+    override val name = ">>>>> IdentityLowForm <<<<<"
+  }
+
+  object Foo {
+    class A extends Transform {
       def inputForm = HighForm
       def outputForm = HighForm
-      def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
-        require(false, errorString)
-        state
+      def execute(s: CircuitState) = {
+        assert(name.endsWith("A"))
+        s
       }
     }
+  }
+
+}
+
+class CustomTransformSpec extends FirrtlFlatSpec {
+
+  import CustomTransformSpec._
+
+  behavior of "Custom Transforms"
+
+  they should "be able to introduce high firrtl" in {
+    runFirrtlTest("CustomTransform", "/features", customTransforms = List(new ReplaceExtModuleTransform))
+  }
+
+  they should "not cause \"Internal Errors\"" in {
     val optionsManager = new ExecutionOptionsManager("test") with HasFirrtlOptions {
       firrtlOptions = FirrtlExecutionOptions(
         firrtlSource = Some(input),
@@ -73,15 +137,38 @@ class CustomTransformSpec extends FirrtlFlatSpec {
     }).getMessage should include (errorString)
   }
 
-  object Foo {
-    class A extends Transform {
-      def inputForm = HighForm
-      def outputForm = HighForm
-      def execute(s: CircuitState) = {
-        assert(name.endsWith("A"))
-        s
-      }
+  they should "preserve the input order" in {
+    runFirrtlTest("CustomTransform", "/features", customTransforms = List(
+                    new FirstTransform,
+                    new SecondTransform,
+                    new ThirdTransform,
+                    new ReplaceExtModuleTransform
+                  ))
+  }
+
+  they should "run right before the emitter when inputForm=LowForm" in {
+
+    val custom = Dependency[IdentityLowForm]
+
+    def testOrder(emitter: Dependency[Emitter], preceders: Seq[Dependency[Transform]]): Unit = {
+      info(s"""${preceders.map(_.getSimpleName).mkString(" -> ")} -> ${custom.getSimpleName} -> ${emitter.getSimpleName} ok!""")
+
+      val compiler = new firrtl.stage.transforms.Compiler(Seq(custom, emitter))
+      info("Transform Order: \n" + compiler.prettyPrint("    "))
+
+      val expectedSlice = preceders ++ Seq(custom, emitter)
+
+      compiler
+        .flattenedTransformOrder
+        .map(Dependency.fromTransform(_))
+        .containsSlice(expectedSlice) should be (true)
     }
+
+    Seq( (Dependency[LowFirrtlEmitter],      Seq(Forms.LowForm.last)                 ),
+         (Dependency[MinimumVerilogEmitter], Seq(Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized.last) ),
+         (Dependency[VerilogEmitter],        Seq(Forms.LowFormOptimized.last)        ),
+         (Dependency[SystemVerilogEmitter],  Seq(Forms.LowFormOptimized.last)        )
+    ).foreach((testOrder _).tupled)
   }
 
   they should "work if placed inside an object" in {
diff --git a/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/LoweringCompilersSpec.scala b/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/LoweringCompilersSpec.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f3183599
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/LoweringCompilersSpec.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,349 @@
+// See LICENSE for license details.
+
+package firrtlTests
+
+import org.scalatest.{FlatSpec, Matchers}
+
+import firrtl._
+import firrtl.passes
+import firrtl.options.Dependency
+import firrtl.stage.{Forms, TransformManager}
+import firrtl.transforms.IdentityTransform
+
+sealed trait PatchAction { val line: Int }
+
+case class Add(line: Int, transforms: Seq[Dependency[Transform]]) extends PatchAction
+case class Del(line: Int) extends PatchAction
+
+object Transforms {
+  class IdentityTransformDiff(val inputForm: CircuitForm, val outputForm: CircuitForm) extends Transform {
+    override def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = state
+    override def name: String = s">>>>> $inputForm -> $outputForm <<<<<"
+  }
+  import firrtl.{ChirrtlForm => C, HighForm => H, MidForm => M, LowForm => L, UnknownForm => U}
+  class ChirrtlToChirrtl extends IdentityTransformDiff(C, C)
+  class HighToChirrtl    extends IdentityTransformDiff(H, C)
+  class HighToHigh       extends IdentityTransformDiff(H, H)
+  class MidToMid         extends IdentityTransformDiff(M, M)
+  class MidToChirrtl     extends IdentityTransformDiff(M, C)
+  class MidToHigh        extends IdentityTransformDiff(M, H)
+  class LowToChirrtl     extends IdentityTransformDiff(L, C)
+  class LowToHigh        extends IdentityTransformDiff(L, H)
+  class LowToMid         extends IdentityTransformDiff(L, M)
+  class LowToLow         extends IdentityTransformDiff(L, L)
+}
+
+class LoweringCompilersSpec extends FlatSpec with Matchers {
+
+  def legacyTransforms(a: CoreTransform): Seq[Transform] = a match {
+    case _: ChirrtlToHighFirrtl => Seq(
+      passes.CheckChirrtl,
+      passes.CInferTypes,
+      passes.CInferMDir,
+      passes.RemoveCHIRRTL)
+    case _: IRToWorkingIR => Seq(passes.ToWorkingIR)
+    case _: ResolveAndCheck => Seq(
+      passes.CheckHighForm,
+      passes.ResolveKinds,
+      passes.InferTypes,
+      passes.CheckTypes,
+      passes.Uniquify,
+      passes.ResolveKinds,
+      passes.InferTypes,
+      passes.ResolveFlows,
+      passes.CheckFlows,
+      new passes.InferBinaryPoints,
+      new passes.TrimIntervals,
+      new passes.InferWidths,
+      passes.CheckWidths,
+      new firrtl.transforms.InferResets)
+    case _: HighFirrtlToMiddleFirrtl => Seq(
+      passes.PullMuxes,
+      passes.ReplaceAccesses,
+      passes.ExpandConnects,
+      passes.RemoveAccesses,
+      passes.Uniquify,
+      passes.ExpandWhens,
+      passes.CheckInitialization,
+      passes.ResolveKinds,
+      passes.InferTypes,
+      passes.CheckTypes,
+      passes.ResolveFlows,
+      new passes.InferWidths,
+      passes.CheckWidths,
+      new passes.RemoveIntervals,
+      passes.ConvertFixedToSInt,
+      passes.ZeroWidth,
+      passes.InferTypes)
+    case _: MiddleFirrtlToLowFirrtl => Seq(
+      passes.LowerTypes,
+      passes.ResolveKinds,
+      passes.InferTypes,
+      passes.ResolveFlows,
+      new passes.InferWidths,
+      passes.Legalize,
+      firrtl.transforms.RemoveReset,
+      passes.ResolveFlows,
+      new firrtl.transforms.CheckCombLoops,
+      new checks.CheckResets,
+      new firrtl.transforms.RemoveWires)
+    case _: LowFirrtlOptimization => Seq(
+      passes.RemoveValidIf,
+      new firrtl.transforms.ConstantPropagation,
+      passes.PadWidths,
+      new firrtl.transforms.ConstantPropagation,
+      passes.Legalize,
+      passes.memlib.VerilogMemDelays, // TODO move to Verilog emitter
+      new firrtl.transforms.ConstantPropagation,
+      passes.SplitExpressions,
+      new firrtl.transforms.CombineCats,
+      passes.CommonSubexpressionElimination,
+      new firrtl.transforms.DeadCodeElimination)
+    case _: MinimumLowFirrtlOptimization => Seq(
+      passes.RemoveValidIf,
+      passes.Legalize,
+      passes.memlib.VerilogMemDelays, // TODO move to Verilog emitter
+      passes.SplitExpressions)
+  }
+
+  def compare(a: Seq[Transform], b: TransformManager, patches: Seq[PatchAction] = Seq.empty): Unit = {
+    info(s"""Transform Order:\n${b.prettyPrint("    ")}""")
+
+    val m = new scala.collection.mutable.HashMap[Int, Seq[Dependency[Transform]]].withDefault(_ => Seq.empty)
+    a.map(Dependency.fromTransform).zipWithIndex.foreach{ case (t, idx) => m(idx) = Seq(t) }
+
+    patches.foreach {
+      case Add(line, txs) => m(line - 1) = m(line - 1) ++ txs
+      case Del(line)      => m.remove(line - 1)
+    }
+
+    val patched = scala.collection.immutable.TreeMap(m.toArray:_*).values.flatten
+
+    patched
+      .zip(b.flattenedTransformOrder.map(Dependency.fromTransform))
+      .foreach{ case (aa, bb) => bb should be (aa) }
+
+    info(s"found ${b.flattenedTransformOrder.size} transforms")
+    patched.size should be (b.flattenedTransformOrder.size)
+  }
+
+  behavior of "ChirrtlToHighFirrtl"
+
+  it should "replicate the old order" in {
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.MinimalHighForm, Forms.ChirrtlForm)
+    compare(legacyTransforms(new firrtl.ChirrtlToHighFirrtl), tm)
+  }
+
+  behavior of "IRToWorkingIR"
+
+  it should "replicate the old order" in {
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.WorkingIR, Forms.MinimalHighForm)
+    compare(legacyTransforms(new firrtl.IRToWorkingIR), tm)
+  }
+
+  behavior of "ResolveAndCheck"
+
+  it should "replicate the old order" in {
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.Resolved, Forms.WorkingIR)
+    val patches = Seq(
+      Add(14, Seq(Dependency.fromTransform(firrtl.passes.CheckTypes)))
+    )
+    compare(legacyTransforms(new ResolveAndCheck), tm, patches)
+  }
+
+  behavior of "HighFirrtlToMiddleFirrtl"
+
+  it should "replicate the old order" in {
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.MidForm, Forms.Deduped)
+    val patches = Seq(
+      Add(5, Seq(Dependency(firrtl.passes.ResolveKinds),
+                 Dependency(firrtl.passes.InferTypes))),
+      Del(6),
+      Del(7),
+      Add(6, Seq(Dependency[firrtl.passes.ExpandWhensAndCheck])),
+      Del(10),
+      Del(11),
+      Del(12),
+      Add(11, Seq(Dependency(firrtl.passes.ResolveFlows),
+                  Dependency[firrtl.passes.InferWidths])),
+      Del(13)
+    )
+    compare(legacyTransforms(new HighFirrtlToMiddleFirrtl), tm, patches)
+  }
+
+  behavior of "MiddleFirrtlToLowFirrtl"
+
+  it should "replicate the old order" in {
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.LowForm, Forms.MidForm)
+    compare(legacyTransforms(new MiddleFirrtlToLowFirrtl), tm)
+  }
+
+  behavior of "MinimumLowFirrtlOptimization"
+
+  it should "replicate the old order" in {
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized, Forms.LowForm)
+    compare(legacyTransforms(new MinimumLowFirrtlOptimization), tm)
+  }
+
+  behavior of "LowFirrtlOptimization"
+
+  it should "replicate the old order" in {
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormOptimized, Forms.LowForm)
+    val patches = Seq(
+      Add(7, Seq(Dependency(firrtl.passes.Legalize)))
+    )
+    compare(legacyTransforms(new LowFirrtlOptimization), tm, patches)
+  }
+
+  behavior of "VerilogMinimumOptimized"
+
+  it should "replicate the old order" in {
+    val legacy = Seq(
+      new firrtl.transforms.BlackBoxSourceHelper,
+      new firrtl.transforms.FixAddingNegativeLiterals,
+      new firrtl.transforms.ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic,
+      new firrtl.transforms.InlineBitExtractionsTransform,
+      new firrtl.transforms.InlineCastsTransform,
+      new firrtl.transforms.LegalizeClocksTransform,
+      new firrtl.transforms.FlattenRegUpdate,
+      firrtl.passes.VerilogModulusCleanup,
+      new firrtl.transforms.VerilogRename,
+      firrtl.passes.VerilogPrep,
+      new firrtl.AddDescriptionNodes)
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.VerilogMinimumOptimized, (new firrtl.VerilogEmitter).prerequisites)
+    compare(legacy, tm)
+  }
+
+  behavior of "VerilogOptimized"
+
+  it should "replicate the old order" in {
+    val legacy = Seq(
+      new firrtl.transforms.BlackBoxSourceHelper,
+      new firrtl.transforms.FixAddingNegativeLiterals,
+      new firrtl.transforms.ReplaceTruncatingArithmetic,
+      new firrtl.transforms.InlineBitExtractionsTransform,
+      new firrtl.transforms.InlineCastsTransform,
+      new firrtl.transforms.LegalizeClocksTransform,
+      new firrtl.transforms.FlattenRegUpdate,
+      new firrtl.transforms.DeadCodeElimination,
+      firrtl.passes.VerilogModulusCleanup,
+      new firrtl.transforms.VerilogRename,
+      firrtl.passes.VerilogPrep,
+      new firrtl.AddDescriptionNodes)
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.VerilogOptimized, Forms.LowFormOptimized)
+    compare(legacy, tm)
+  }
+
+  behavior of "Legacy Custom Transforms"
+
+  it should "work for Chirrtl -> Chirrtl" in {
+    val expected = new Transforms.ChirrtlToChirrtl :: new firrtl.ChirrtlEmitter :: Nil
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Dependency[firrtl.ChirrtlEmitter] :: Dependency[Transforms.ChirrtlToChirrtl] :: Nil)
+    compare(expected, tm)
+  }
+
+  it should "work for High -> High" in {
+    val expected =
+      new TransformManager(Forms.HighForm).flattenedTransformOrder ++
+        Some(new Transforms.HighToHigh) ++
+        (new TransformManager(Forms.MidForm, Forms.HighForm).flattenedTransformOrder)
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.MidForm :+ Dependency[Transforms.HighToHigh])
+    compare(expected, tm)
+  }
+
+  it should "work for High -> Chirrtl" in {
+    val expected =
+      new TransformManager(Forms.HighForm).flattenedTransformOrder ++
+        Some(new Transforms.HighToChirrtl) ++
+        (new TransformManager(Forms.HighForm, Forms.ChirrtlForm).flattenedTransformOrder)
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.HighForm :+ Dependency[Transforms.HighToChirrtl])
+    compare(expected, tm)
+  }
+
+  it should "work for Mid -> Mid" in {
+    val expected =
+      new TransformManager(Forms.MidForm).flattenedTransformOrder ++
+        Some(new Transforms.MidToMid) ++
+        (new TransformManager(Forms.LowForm, Forms.MidForm).flattenedTransformOrder)
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.LowForm :+ Dependency[Transforms.MidToMid])
+    compare(expected, tm)
+  }
+
+  it should "work for Mid -> High" in {
+    val expected =
+      new TransformManager(Forms.MidForm).flattenedTransformOrder ++
+        Some(new Transforms.MidToHigh) ++
+        (new TransformManager(Forms.LowForm, Forms.MinimalHighForm).flattenedTransformOrder)
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.LowForm :+ Dependency[Transforms.MidToHigh])
+    compare(expected, tm)
+  }
+
+  it should "work for Mid -> Chirrtl" in {
+    val expected =
+      new TransformManager(Forms.MidForm).flattenedTransformOrder ++
+        Some(new Transforms.MidToChirrtl) ++
+        (new TransformManager(Forms.LowForm, Forms.ChirrtlForm).flattenedTransformOrder)
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.LowForm :+ Dependency[Transforms.MidToChirrtl])
+    compare(expected, tm)
+  }
+
+  it should "work for Low -> Low" in {
+    val expected =
+      new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormOptimized).flattenedTransformOrder ++
+        Seq(new Transforms.LowToLow)
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormOptimized :+ Dependency[Transforms.LowToLow])
+    compare(expected, tm)
+  }
+
+  it should "work for Low -> Mid" in {
+    val expected =
+      new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormOptimized).flattenedTransformOrder ++
+        Seq(new Transforms.LowToMid) ++
+        (new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormOptimized, Forms.MidForm).flattenedTransformOrder)
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormOptimized :+ Dependency[Transforms.LowToMid])
+    compare(expected, tm)
+  }
+
+  it should "work for Low -> High" in {
+    val expected =
+      new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormOptimized).flattenedTransformOrder ++
+        Seq(new Transforms.LowToHigh) ++
+        (new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormOptimized, Forms.MinimalHighForm).flattenedTransformOrder)
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormOptimized :+ Dependency[Transforms.LowToHigh])
+    compare(expected, tm)
+  }
+
+  it should "work for Low -> Chirrtl" in {
+    val expected =
+      new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormOptimized).flattenedTransformOrder ++
+        Seq(new Transforms.LowToChirrtl) ++
+        (new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormOptimized, Forms.ChirrtlForm).flattenedTransformOrder)
+    val tm = new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormOptimized :+ Dependency[Transforms.LowToChirrtl])
+    compare(expected, tm)
+  }
+
+  it should "schedule inputForm=LowForm after MiddleFirrtlToLowFirrtl for the LowFirrtlEmitter" in {
+    val expected =
+      new TransformManager(Forms.LowForm).flattenedTransformOrder ++
+        Seq(new Transforms.LowToLow, new firrtl.LowFirrtlEmitter)
+    val tm = (new TransformManager(Seq(Dependency[firrtl.LowFirrtlEmitter], Dependency[Transforms.LowToLow])))
+    compare(expected, tm)
+  }
+
+  it should "schedule inputForm=LowForm after MinimumLowFirrtlOptimizations for the MinimalVerilogEmitter" in {
+    val expected =
+      new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormMinimumOptimized).flattenedTransformOrder ++
+        Seq(new Transforms.LowToLow, new firrtl.MinimumVerilogEmitter)
+    val tm = (new TransformManager(Seq(Dependency[firrtl.MinimumVerilogEmitter], Dependency[Transforms.LowToLow])))
+    compare(expected, tm)
+  }
+
+  it should "schedule inputForm=LowForm after LowFirrtlOptimizations for the VerilogEmitter" in {
+    val expected =
+      new TransformManager(Forms.LowFormOptimized).flattenedTransformOrder ++
+        Seq(new Transforms.LowToLow, new firrtl.VerilogEmitter)
+    val tm = (new TransformManager(Seq(Dependency[firrtl.VerilogEmitter], Dependency[Transforms.LowToLow])))
+    compare(expected, tm)
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/VerilogEmitterTests.scala b/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/VerilogEmitterTests.scala
index c5d0eacc..825d706f 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/VerilogEmitterTests.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/VerilogEmitterTests.scala
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@ class DoPrimVerilog extends FirrtlFlatSpec {
   "Xorr" should "emit correctly" in {
     val compiler = new VerilogCompiler
     val input =
-      """circuit Xorr : 
-        |  module Xorr : 
+      """circuit Xorr :
+        |  module Xorr :
         |    input a: UInt<4>
         |    output b: UInt<1>
         |    b <= xorr(a)""".stripMargin
-    val check = 
+    val check =
       """module Xorr(
         |  input  [3:0] a,
         |  output  b
@@ -31,12 +31,12 @@ class DoPrimVerilog extends FirrtlFlatSpec {
   "Andr" should "emit correctly" in {
     val compiler = new VerilogCompiler
     val input =
-      """circuit Andr : 
-        |  module Andr : 
+      """circuit Andr :
+        |  module Andr :
         |    input a: UInt<4>
         |    output b: UInt<1>
         |    b <= andr(a)""".stripMargin
-    val check = 
+    val check =
       """module Andr(
         |  input  [3:0] a,
         |  output  b
@@ -49,12 +49,12 @@ class DoPrimVerilog extends FirrtlFlatSpec {
   "Orr" should "emit correctly" in {
     val compiler = new VerilogCompiler
     val input =
-      """circuit Orr : 
-        |  module Orr : 
+      """circuit Orr :
+        |  module Orr :
         |    input a: UInt<4>
         |    output b: UInt<1>
         |    b <= orr(a)""".stripMargin
-    val check = 
+    val check =
       """module Orr(
         |  input  [3:0] a,
         |  output  b
@@ -187,8 +187,8 @@ class DoPrimVerilog extends FirrtlFlatSpec {
         |""".stripMargin
     val check =
       """module Test(
-        |  input  [7:0] in, 
-        |  output  out 
+        |  input  [7:0] in,
+        |  output  out
         |);
         |  wire [7:0] _GEN_0;
         |  assign out = _GEN_0[0];
diff --git a/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/annotationTests/TargetDirAnnotationSpec.scala b/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/annotationTests/TargetDirAnnotationSpec.scala
index eb061d8f..ea4127bc 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/annotationTests/TargetDirAnnotationSpec.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/annotationTests/TargetDirAnnotationSpec.scala
@@ -5,24 +5,25 @@ package annotationTests
 
 import firrtlTests._
 import firrtl._
+import firrtl.annotations.{Annotation, NoTargetAnnotation}
+
+case object FoundTargetDirTransformRanAnnotation extends NoTargetAnnotation
+case object FoundTargetDirTransformFoundTargetDirAnnotation extends NoTargetAnnotation
 
 /** Looks for [[TargetDirAnnotation]] */
-class FindTargetDirTransform(expected: String) extends Transform {
+class FindTargetDirTransform extends Transform {
   def inputForm = HighForm
   def outputForm = HighForm
-  var foundTargetDir = false
-  var run = false
+
   def execute(state: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
-    run = true
-    state.annotations.collectFirst {
-      case TargetDirAnnotation(expected) =>
-        foundTargetDir = true
-    }
-    state
+    val a: Option[Annotation] = state.annotations.collectFirst {
+      case TargetDirAnnotation("a/b/c") => FoundTargetDirTransformFoundTargetDirAnnotation }
+    state.copy(annotations = state.annotations ++ a ++ Some(FoundTargetDirTransformRanAnnotation))
   }
 }
 
 class TargetDirAnnotationSpec extends FirrtlFlatSpec {
+
   behavior of "The target directory"
 
   val input =
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ class TargetDirAnnotationSpec extends FirrtlFlatSpec {
   val targetDir = "a/b/c"
 
   it should "be available as an annotation when using execution options" in {
-    val findTargetDir = new FindTargetDirTransform(targetDir) // looks for the annotation
+    val findTargetDir = new FindTargetDirTransform // looks for the annotation
 
     val optionsManager = new ExecutionOptionsManager("TargetDir") with HasFirrtlOptions {
       commonOptions = commonOptions.copy(targetDirName = targetDir,
@@ -44,11 +45,13 @@ class TargetDirAnnotationSpec extends FirrtlFlatSpec {
                                          firrtlSource = Some(input),
                                          customTransforms = Seq(findTargetDir))
     }
-    Driver.execute(optionsManager)
+    val annotations: Seq[Annotation] = Driver.execute(optionsManager) match {
+      case a: FirrtlExecutionSuccess => a.circuitState.annotations
+      case _ => fail
+    }
 
-    // Check that FindTargetDirTransform transform is run and finds the annotation
-    findTargetDir.run should be (true)
-    findTargetDir.foundTargetDir should be (true)
+    annotations should contain (FoundTargetDirTransformRanAnnotation)
+    annotations should contain (FoundTargetDirTransformFoundTargetDirAnnotation)
 
     // Delete created directory
     val dir = new java.io.File(targetDir)
@@ -57,13 +60,16 @@ class TargetDirAnnotationSpec extends FirrtlFlatSpec {
   }
 
   it should "NOT be available as an annotation when using a raw compiler" in {
-    val findTargetDir = new FindTargetDirTransform(targetDir) // looks for the annotation
+    val findTargetDir = new FindTargetDirTransform // looks for the annotation
     val compiler = new VerilogCompiler
     val circuit = Parser.parse(input split "\n")
-    compiler.compileAndEmit(CircuitState(circuit, HighForm), Seq(findTargetDir))
+
+    val annotations: Seq[Annotation] = compiler
+      .compileAndEmit(CircuitState(circuit, HighForm), Seq(findTargetDir))
+      .annotations
 
     // Check that FindTargetDirTransform does not find the annotation
-    findTargetDir.run should be (true)
-    findTargetDir.foundTargetDir should be (false)
+    annotations should contain (FoundTargetDirTransformRanAnnotation)
+    annotations should not contain (FoundTargetDirTransformFoundTargetDirAnnotation)
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/stage/phases/CompilerSpec.scala b/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/stage/phases/CompilerSpec.scala
index a8176316..f2620051 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/stage/phases/CompilerSpec.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/stage/phases/CompilerSpec.scala
@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@ package firrtlTests.stage.phases
 
 import org.scalatest.{FlatSpec, Matchers}
 
+import scala.collection.mutable
+
 import firrtl.{Compiler => _, _}
-import firrtl.options.Phase
-import firrtl.stage.{CompilerAnnotation, FirrtlCircuitAnnotation, RunFirrtlTransformAnnotation}
+import firrtl.options.{Phase, PreservesAll}
+import firrtl.stage.{CompilerAnnotation, FirrtlCircuitAnnotation, Forms, RunFirrtlTransformAnnotation}
 import firrtl.stage.phases.Compiler
 
 class CompilerSpec extends FlatSpec with Matchers {
@@ -40,7 +42,7 @@ class CompilerSpec extends FlatSpec with Matchers {
 
     val expected = Seq(FirrtlCircuitAnnotation(circuitOut))
 
-    phase.transform(input).toSeq should be (expected)
+    phase.transform(input).collect{ case a: FirrtlCircuitAnnotation => a }.toSeq should be (expected)
   }
 
   it should "compile multiple FirrtlCircuitAnnotations" in new Fixture {
@@ -140,4 +142,37 @@ class CompilerSpec extends FlatSpec with Matchers {
       .size should be (20)
   }
 
+  it should "run transforms in sequential order" in new Fixture {
+    import CompilerSpec.{FirstTransform, SecondTransform}
+
+    val circuitIn = Parser.parse(chirrtl("top"))
+    val annotations =
+      Seq( FirrtlCircuitAnnotation(circuitIn),
+           CompilerAnnotation(new VerilogCompiler),
+           RunFirrtlTransformAnnotation(new FirstTransform),
+           RunFirrtlTransformAnnotation(new SecondTransform) )
+    phase.transform(annotations)
+
+    CompilerSpec.globalState.toSeq should be (Seq(classOf[FirstTransform], classOf[SecondTransform]))
+  }
+
+}
+
+object CompilerSpec {
+
+  private[CompilerSpec] val globalState: mutable.Queue[Class[_ <: Transform]] = mutable.Queue.empty[Class[_ <: Transform]]
+
+  class LoggingTransform extends Transform with PreservesAll[Transform] {
+    override def inputForm = UnknownForm
+    override def outputForm = UnknownForm
+    override def prerequisites = Forms.HighForm
+    def execute(c: CircuitState): CircuitState = {
+      globalState += this.getClass
+      c
+    }
+  }
+
+  class FirstTransform extends LoggingTransform
+  class SecondTransform extends LoggingTransform
+
 }
diff --git a/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/transforms/BlackBoxSourceHelperSpec.scala b/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/transforms/BlackBoxSourceHelperSpec.scala
index 213ead77..feba5a24 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/transforms/BlackBoxSourceHelperSpec.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/firrtlTests/transforms/BlackBoxSourceHelperSpec.scala
@@ -100,11 +100,6 @@ class BlacklBoxSourceHelperTransformSpec extends LowTransformSpec {
     new java.io.File(s"test_run_dir/${BlackBoxSourceHelper.defaultFileListName}").exists should be (true)
   }
 
-  "verilog compiler" should "have BlackBoxSourceHelper transform" in {
-    val verilogCompiler = new VerilogEmitter
-    verilogCompiler.transforms.map { x => x.getClass } should contain (classOf[BlackBoxSourceHelper])
-  }
-
   "verilog header files" should "be available but not mentioned in the file list" in {
     // Issue #917 - We don't want to list Verilog header files ("*.vh") in our file list.
     // We don't actually verify that the generated verilog code works,