Programming
C Language for Embedded Systems
The foundational language for many embedded applications.
Overview & Strengths of C
Content discussing why C is a dominant language in embedded systems, its historical significance, performance benefits, and direct hardware control capabilities.
Memory Management in C
Content on manual memory management (malloc, free), stack and heap usage, memory layout, and common issues like memory leaks and fragmentation in embedded C.
Pointers & Hardware Access
Content explaining the use of pointers for direct memory-mapped I/O, accessing hardware registers, and creating efficient data structures.
Bitwise Operations
Content covering bitwise operators (AND, OR, XOR, NOT, shifts) and their critical role in manipulating hardware registers and data at the bit level.
Common C Libraries for Embedded
Content on standard C libraries (e.g., stdint.h for fixed-width integers, string.h for string manipulation, setjmp.h) and vendor-provided libraries.
C++ for Embedded Systems
Utilizing C++ for modern embedded software development.
C++ Overview for Embedded
Content on the advantages of C++ in embedded systems, including abstraction, OOP features, and performance considerations compared to C.
OOP in Embedded C++
Content discussing how Object-Oriented Programming (classes, encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism) can be applied effectively in resource-constrained embedded environments.
STL for Embedded Systems
Content on the selective use of the Standard Template Library (STL) in embedded contexts, focusing on containers and algorithms with predictable performance and memory usage, or alternatives like Embedded Template Library (ETL).
RAII & Resource Management
Content explaining Resource Acquisition Is Initialization (RAII) idiom for robust resource management (memory, peripherals, locks) in C++.
C++ vs. C for Embedded
Content offering a comparison of C and C++ for embedded projects, highlighting trade-offs in terms of performance, complexity, and development time.
Assembly Language for Embedded
The lowest-level programming for ultimate hardware control.
Basics of Assembly
Content covering fundamental concepts of assembly language: mnemonics, registers, instruction sets, and addressing modes for typical embedded processors.
When to Use Assembly
Content discussing specific scenarios where assembly language is indispensable or highly beneficial, such as boot code, interrupt handlers, and performance-critical routines.
Interfacing with C/C++
Content on techniques for calling assembly language functions from C/C++ and vice-versa, including parameter passing and calling conventions.
Optimization Use Cases
Content on utilizing assembly for fine-grained optimization of code size and execution speed.
Rust for Embedded
Exploring Rust's capabilities for safe and concurrent embedded systems.
Overview of Embedded Rust
Content introducing Rust as a modern systems programming language and its applicability to embedded development, focusing on its safety and concurrency features.
Memory Safety Features
Content detailing Rust's ownership, borrowing, and lifetime system, and how they prevent common memory-related bugs without a garbage collector.
Concurrency in Rust
Content on Rust's features for safe concurrency, which are beneficial for real-time and multi-threaded embedded applications.
Ecosystem & Crates
Content about the growing embedded Rust ecosystem, including tools, community support, and available libraries (crates) for various hardware.
HAL and PACs
Content explaining Hardware Abstraction Layers (HAL) and Peripheral Access Crates (PACs) which provide safe interfaces to microcontroller hardware.
Other Languages & Paradigms
Alternative languages and programming approaches for embedded development.
MicroPython/CircuitPython
Content on MicroPython and CircuitPython for rapid prototyping, ease of use, and high-level development on microcontrollers.
Ada/SPARK
Content briefly discussing Ada and its subset SPARK for high-integrity and safety-critical embedded systems.
Scripting for Test/Automation
Content on the role of scripting languages (e.g., Python, Lua) in testing, build automation, and device interaction for embedded systems.
Event-Driven Programming
Content discussing the event-driven programming paradigm and its suitability for reactive embedded systems.
State Machines
Content on designing and implementing state machines for managing complex behaviors in embedded applications.