Revenue (Details Textuals) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue recognized from deferred revenue during the period	$ 157.9	$ 142.6
Unsatisfied performance obligations	$ 2,800.0
Percent of remaining performance obligations, current	60.00%
Revenue recognized from satisfaction of performance obligations	$ 8.5	$ 6.2

Percent of remaining performance obligation to be recognized in next twelve months.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	cdns_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Revenue Recognized from Satisfaction of Performance Obligations

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	cdns_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized that was previously included in balance of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration from customer has been received or is due.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130549-203045

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of transaction price allocated to performance obligation that has not been recognized as revenue.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130556-203045

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant