This roadmap is designed to help beginners aspiring to build a career as an Embedded Engineer/Developer, as well as assist current practitioners in expanding their skills.
Embedded engineering demands a solid understanding of hardware functionality as well as software development and programming skills. If you really want to pursue this career you must be highly motivated and passionate about it. As the well-known saying goes, "Hardware is hard!". But don't panic and be patient for the challenges you may encounter along this exciting journey. By dedicating enough time and effort practicing and doing projects you will soon find yourself as a real embedded engineer! 😀
computer system that is part of a larger system and performs some of the requirements of that system. For example, a computer system used in an aircraft or rapid transit system.
The hardware and software of an embedded system are usually minimized and optimized for specific functions. The embedded system includes at least one microcontroller, microprocessor or digital signal processor. The embedded system designed to optimize reliability, cost, size and power saving for applications.
An embedded system is a computerized system that is purpose built for its application.
A physical system that employs computer control for a specific purpose, rather than for general-purpose computation, is referred to as an embedded system.
An embedded system is a system in which the computer (generally a microcontroller or microprocessor) is included as an integral part of the system.
Often, the computer is relatively invisible to the user, without obvious applications, files, or operating systems. Examples of products with invisible embedded systems are the controller that runs a microwave oven or the engine control system of a modern automobile.
A combination of computer hardware and software, and perhaps additional mechanical or other parts, designed to perform a dedicated function.
In some cases, embedded systems are part of a larger system or product, as in the case of an antilock braking system in a car.
The embedded systems engineering roadmap is structured into three fundamental areas: SOFTWARE, HARDWARE, and SOFT SKILLS.
While the intersection of hardware and software is prevalent in embedded systems, specific job titles tend to emphasize one aspect over the other. For instance, roles like "Embedded Software Engineer/Developer," "Firmware Engineer/Developer," and "Embedded Linux Engineer/Developer" predominantly focus on software development. In contrast, positions such as "Embedded Hardware Engineer" and "Hardware Design Engineer" primarily deal with hardware design and electronics. Moreover, there are roles like "Embedded Systems Engineer" that necessitate a comprehensive understanding of both hardware and software.
It's crucial to note that each company in the embedded industry may have unique requirements for a given job title. Therefore, it's essential to tailor your focus based on your career aspirations. If you're seeking an embedded software position, prioritize the software-related skills outlined in the roadmap. Conversely, if you're interested in an embedded hardware job, concentrate on hardware skills and dedicate more time to learning electronics.
The roadmap provides a comprehensive guide to the essential topics for a typical "Embedded Systems Engineer" role. By delving into both software and hardware aspects, you can develop the necessary skills to thrive in this dynamic field. However, if you have a clear preference for software or hardware, you can tailor your learning path accordingly.
Note
Remember that the importance of individual software and hardware skills can differ depending on the specific requirements of the company and the job role.
Tip
To differentiate between the types of learning resources and the quality of their content, specific symbols are used before each item.
Resource types:
- 📘 : Books
- 🎞️ : Videos
- 📝 : Write-ups, articles, and blog posts
- 🔗 : Other links that do not fit into any of the above categories
Content quality symbols:
- 👶 : Easy-to-understand and beginner-friendly resources. Refer to them if you do not have prior knowledge in a topic.
- 💎 : Well-known references that have truly invaluable and comprehensive content. Refer to them if you want to deepen your understanding of a topic.
If you feel overwhelmed by the extensive list of topics in the roadmap, you're not alone. Before delving too deeply, let's ease into it with some simple starter projects. Learning embedded systems engineering takes time and effort. Don't get discouraged if you don't understand something right away. Keep practicing and you will eventually get there.
Engaging in hands-on projects is the most effective approach to learning. Rather than solely relying on theoretical knowledge from books or articles. Undertaking projects allows for practical learning experiences. Even a seemingly basic project has the potential to teach you more than hours of aimless reading. You can refer to books, articles, and courses when faced with difficulties in understanding the problems in real-world projects.
Don't try to build a complex project right away. Start with small, manageable projects to get your feet wet.
- 🔗 Random Nerd Tutorials | Learn ESP32, ESP8266, Arduino, and Raspberry Pi
- 🔗 Last Minute Engineers
- 🔗 51 STM32 Projects & Tutorials for Beginners and Up - Hackster.io
- 🔗 STM32 (STM32F103C8) Projects & Tutorials
- 🔗 ElectronicWings Projects
- 🔗 STM32 Firmware - Phil’s Lab (YouTube Playlist)
- 🔗 Raspberry Pi Based Embedded Project Ideas
- 🔗 Embedded Linux On ARM | Projects
Use search engines to find the answers to your questions.
If you can't find what you're looking for using search engines, AI chatbots can also provide assistance. Keep in mind that AI may provide incorrect answers in some cases. It's best to confirm any answers with more reliable references.
- 🔗 DuckDuckGo AI Chat
- 🔗 Microsoft Copilot
- 🔗 Google Gemini
- 🔗 ChatGPT
- 🔗 Claude AI
- 🔗 Poe - Fast, Helpful AI Chat
If you have reservations about relying on AI advice alone, you can also ask your questions from real people:
You may have heard that YouTube is a university. And it's true - there is an extensive amount of invaluable free content on embedded systems available on YouTube. You'll also find some excellent free courses through Coursera and EdX. Additionally, Udemy offers some high-quality paid course options.
- 🎞️ DigiKey (YouTube Channel)
- 🎞️ Coursera - Introduction to Embedded Systems Software and Development Environments
- 🎞️ Coursera - Embedded Software and Hardware Architecture
- 🎞️ Fastbit Embedded Brain Academy
- 🎞️ Modern Embedded Systems Programming Course (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ element14 presents (YouTube Channel)
- 🎞️ Ben Eater (YouTube Channel)
- 🎞️ Phil’s Lab (YouTube Channel)
- 🎞️ Embedded Systems - Jacob Sorber (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ edX - Embedded Systems - Shape The World: Microcontroller Input/Output
- 🎞️ edX - Embedded Systems - Shape The World: Multi-Threaded Interfacing
- 🎞️ Embedded Systems, in Pyjama!
- 🎞️ Low Byte Productions
If you do not have any background in programming the embedded systems, Arduino boards and libraries are the best choice for you to start and learn the basics. Just keep in mind that most of the Arduino libraries are developed for learning purposes and are not optimized to be used in industry.
Additionally, the Arduino Core takes care of most of the low-level hardware-associated operations that you, as an embedded engineer, should be able to handle yourself or at least have a clear understanding of. If you want to become a professional embedded developer, you should be able to effectively use industry-standard APIs and SDKs provided and approved by microcontroller vendors, such as CMSIS for ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers, STM32Cube for STM32, ESP-IDF for Espressif microcontrollers, etc.
- 🔗 Getting Started with Arduino
- 🎞️ All New Arduino R4 WiFi LESSONS for Absolute Beginners (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ New Arduino Tutorials (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ Arduino in a commercial product?
- 🎞️ Arduino Project to Product (YouTube Playlist)
- 🔗 DeepBlueMbedded
- 🔗💎 Interrupt Blog by Memfault
- 🔗 Embedded Systems, in Pyjama!
- 🔗 ElectronicWings - Hardware Developers Community
- 🔗 Microchip University
- 🔗 Nordic Developer Academy
- 🔗 Electronics Tutorials
- 🔗 SparkFun Learn: Learn at SparkFun Electronics
- 🔗 Adafruit Learning System
- 🔗 STM32 World
- 🔗 ControllersTech
- 🔗 Embedded Artistry Beginners Roadmap
- 🔗 Embedded Systems Skill Tree
- 🔗 PCB Design Skill Tree
- 🔗 FPGA / ASIC Engineering Roadmap
- 🔗 Keil MDK & µVision
- 🔗 IAR Embedded Workbench
- 🔗 STM32CubeIDE
- 🔗 Microchip Studio for AVR® and SAM Devices
- 🔗 MPLAB® X IDE
- 🔗 MCUXpresso IDE
PlatformIO is a cross-platform, cross-architecture, multiple framework, professional tool for embedded systems engineers and for software developers who write applications for embedded products.
PlatformIO is not yet extensively adopted in industrial and large-scale projects, however, it is an excellent choice for individuals working on smaller projects. This is because it greatly reduces the need to install frameworks and setup build and debug tools, allowing you to concentrate on programming.
Warning
It is not necessary to read all the books, articles, or watch all the videos you see here. If you try to do so, you will finally get tired and disappointed. You cannot study all the available content here in a reasonable time because it may take years. It is important to study enough to have at least a basic understanding of the required topics. Of course, the more time you dedicate to studying and doing projects, the more profound your knowledge and expertise will become.
Some of the resources mentioned here will just be used as references. Refer to them only when you need them.
Similar to other professions, embedded engineers require soft skills that can't be solely obtained from reading or watching videos. These skills are cultivated through interactions and tackling various work obstacles. Improving soft skills is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It will vary based on one's individual traits and requires self-awareness of your strengths and areas for growth. Enhancing these skills takes time and effort.
- 📝 Soft Skills For Embedded Systems Software Developers
- 📝 10 Skills Every Embedded Engineer Should Have
- 🔗👶 Lessons in Electric Circuits (All About Circuits)
- 🔗👶💎 Electronics Tutorials
- 📘👶💎 Fundamentals of Electric Circuits - Charles K. Alexander, Matthew Sadiku
- 📘👶💎 Principles of Electric Circuits: Conventional Current Version - Thomas L Floyd, David M. Buchla
- 🎞️💎 Basic Circuit Theory I (By Prof. Razavi) (YouTube Playlist)
- 🔗👶💎 Build Electronic Circuits - Øyvind Nydal Dahl
- 🎞️👶 Electronic Basics - GreatScott! (YouTube Playlist)
- 📘👶 Make: Electronics: Learning by Discovery - Charles Platt
- 📘👶💎 Electronic Devices: Conventional Current Version - Thomas Floyd, David Buchla, Steven Wetterling
- 📘👶💎 Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices & Applications - Thomas L Floyd, David M. Buchla, Gary D. Snyder
- 📘👶 Practical Electronics for Inventors - Paul Scherz, Simon Monk
- 📘💎 The Art of Electronics - Paul Horowitz, Winfield Hill
- 📝 Here’s a Quick Way to Know about Major Electronic Components
- 📘 Encyclopedia of Electronic Components - Charles Platt
- 🔗👶 Tiny Tapeout > Digital Design Guide
- 📘💎 Digital Design - Morris Mano, Michael Ciletti
- 📘👶💎 Digital Design and Computer Architecture: ARM Edition - Sarah Harris, David Harris
- 📘👶💎 Digital Design and Computer Architecture: RISC-V Edition - Sarah Harris, David Harris
- 📘👶 Digital Fundamentals - Thomas L. Floyd
Computer architecture is the backbone of embedded systems, governing the hardware and software interactions. Embedded developers need a grasp of computer architecture to design, develop, and debug embedded software effectively. Expertise in ARM and RISC-V, two prevalent instruction set architectures (ISAs) in embedded systems, is paramount for embedded developers. ARM is the dominant ISA, while RISC-V's open-source nature and flexibility are gaining traction.
- 📘👶💎 Computer Organization and Design: ARM Edition - David A. Patterson, John L. Hennessy
- 📘👶💎 Digital Design and Computer Architecture: ARM Edition - Sarah Harris, David Harris
- 📘👶💎 Digital Design and Computer Architecture: RISC-V Edition - Sarah Harris, David Harris
- 📘👶 The Elements of Computing Systems - Noam Nisan, Shimon Schocken
- 📘 Computer Organization and Embedded Systems - Carl Hamacher, Zvonko Vranesic, Safwat Zaky, Naraig Manjikian
- 📘 Embedded Systems Architecture - Tammy Noergaard
- 📘 Embedded Systems Architecture - Daniele Lacamera
- 📘 The Definitive Guide to ARM® Cortex®-M0 and Cortex-M0+ Processors - Joseph Yiu
- 📘 The Definitive Guide to ARM® Cortex®-M3 and Cortex®-M4 Processors - Joseph Yiu
- 🔗 Build an 8-bit computer from scratch
Embedded systems often require specialized test equipment to verify their functionality and performance. This equipment includes multimeters, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, function generators, power supplies, and other tools that allow engineers to measure signals, inject stimuli, and monitor the behavior of embedded systems.
- 🎞️👶 What’s an OSCILLOSCOPE?
- 🎞️👶 How to Use an Oscilloscope
- 🎞️👶 How to use an oscilloscope / What is an oscilloscope / Oscilloscope tutorial
- 🎞️ Understanding EMI Debugging with Oscilloscopes
While hardware design and prototyping are primarily the responsibility of electronic hardware design engineers, embedded software engineers can benefit from a basic understanding of these concepts. This knowledge can be instrumental in identifying and resolving hardware-related issues during embedded system debugging. By having a grasp of hardware principles, embedded software engineers can effectively pinpoint the root causes of problems, leading to quicker and more efficient troubleshooting.
Breadboarding is a hands-on approach to prototyping circuits, providing a versatile platform for experimentation and circuit design. Embedded systems often utilize breadboards for their ease of use, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. By connecting components on a breadboard, embedded systems developers can quickly test and refine their designs without the need for permanent soldering. This allows for rapid iterations and efficient debugging, making breadboarding an invaluable tool for embedded system development.
- 🎞️👶💎 Hardware Design - Phil’s Lab (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ Electronic Circuit Design - IFE - TU Graz (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ Microcontroller-Based Hardware Design With Altium Designer (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️💎 Altium Academy YouTube Channel
- 🎞️💎 Robert Feranec YouTube Channel
- 🎞️👶 Altium Tutorials for Beginners - Robert Feranec (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️👶 Create PCBs for Rapid Prototyping - DigiKey (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️👶💎 PCB Design for Beginners - Altium Academy (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ How to Make a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 Carrier Board - DigiKey (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️💎 How To Learn PCB Design (My Thoughts, Journey, and Resources) - Phil's Lab #87
- 🎞️👶 KiCad 6 STM32 PCB Design Full Tutorial - Phil's Lab #65
- 🎞️👶 Intro to KiCad - DigiKey (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️💎 PCB Design for EMI & SI - Phil's Lab #64
- 🎞️💎 PCB Design for Advanced Users (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️💎 PCB Knowledge [PCB Production Tips By PCBWay] (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️💎 9 Simple Tricks to Improve EMC / EMI on Your Boards - Practical examples (with Min Zhang)
- 🎞️💎 Many EMC Tips to Help You Design Better PCB Boards (with Keith Armstrong)
- 🔗 LearnEMC - EMC Resources
- 🔗 A Better Way to Build PCBs - Flux AI
- 🔗 EasyEDA
- 🔗 Fritzing
- 🔗 Cirkit Designer
- 🎞️👶 How To Solder - Electronics with Becky Stern | Digi-Key Electronics
- 🎞️👶 HOW TO SOLDER! (Beginner's Guide)
- 🎞️👶 Soldering Crash Course: Basic Techniques, Tips and Advice!
- 🎞️ How to Solder Through-Hole Components - Another Teaching Moment | DigiKey Electronics
- 🎞️ How to Solder QFN MLF Package by Hand (Using a Hot Air Rework Station) | Digi-Key Electronics
- 🎞️ From Solderless Breadboard to Soldered Circuit - Electronics with Becky Stern | Digi-Key Electronics
FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) are specialized integrated circuits that can be configured to perform various digital logic functions. They are widely used in embedded systems to achieve high performance, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. FPGA designers use hardware description languages (HDLs) to create customized circuits that map directly to the FPGA architecture. Since FPGA engineering and verification differ significantly from embedded software development, it stands as a specialized domain within embedded systems.
- 🔗 FPGA / ASIC Engineering Roadmap
- 📝 What are FPGAs?
- 📝 FPGA vs. Microcontroller: How to choose the right one for your project
- 🎞️👶 Introduction to FPGA (YouTube Playlist)
- 🔗👶 FPGA Fundamentals - Nandland
- 🎞️💎 Coursera – FPGA Design for Embedded Systems Specialization
- 📘💎 A Hands-On Guide to Designing Embedded Systems - Adam Taylor, Dan Binnun, Saket Srivastava
Mastering programming fundamentals and software development principles is essential for a successful embedded design. Embedded systems demand efficient code, optimized data management, reusable design patterns, and effective memory management to function effectively in resource-constrained environments. Embedded developers must possess a strong foundation in these core concepts to create reliable and performant embedded systems.
- 📘👶💎 Grokking Algorithms - Aditya Y. Bhargava
- 📘💎 Introduction to Algorithms - Thomas H. Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson, Ronald L. Rivest and Clifford Stein
- 🔗 Collection of various algorithms in mathematics, machine learning, computer science, physics, etc implemented in C for educational purposes
- 🎞️ Udemy – Embedded Systems State Machines & Data Structures
- 🔗 Data Structures in C
- 🎞️ Data Structures - Full Course Using C and C++
- 🔗 Hello Algo
- 📝 Practical Design Patterns: Opaque Pointers and Objects in C
- 📘💎 Design Patterns for Embedded Systems in C - Bruce Powel Douglass
- 📘💎 Making Embedded Systems: Design Patterns for Great Software - Elecia White
- 🔗 Design Patterns - Refactoring Guru
- 📝 Programming embedded systems the easy way – with state machines
- 🎞️💎 State Machines (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️💎 Event-Driven Programming (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️💎 Udemy - Embedded System Design using UML State Machines
- 📝 “Input-Driven” vs. Event-Driven State Machines
- 📝 State Machines for Event-Driven Systems
- 🎞️ Understanding the C runtime memory model
- 🎞️ Pointers and dynamic memory - stack vs heap
- 🎞️ Dynamic Memory Allocation | C Programming Tutorial
- 🎞️ Dynamic memory allocation in C - malloc calloc realloc free
- 📝 What is Memory Leak in C/C++? How can we avoid?
- 📝 Understanding Memory Management in Rust
- 📝 Memory Management in Python
Low-level languages like C and assembly provide direct hardware access, enabling efficient code optimization for resource-constrained embedded systems. System-level languages like C++ and Rust offer a higher level of abstraction for complex embedded applications, while Python is often employed for testing embedded systems due to its simplicity.
- 🎞️👶 Microchip University - Syntax And Structure of C - Simply C
- 🎞️💎 Microchip University - Advanced C Programming
- 🎞️💎 Microchip University - Advanced Embedded C Tips, Tricks, and Cautions
- 🎞️💎 Microchip University - C Programming: Linked List Data Structures
- 🎞️💎 Microchip University - C Programming Callbacks
- 🎞️👶 C Programming for Beginners | Full Course
- 🎞️ C Programming Tutorials (YouTube Playlist)
- 📘💎 The C Programming Language - Brian W. Kernighan, Dennis M. Ritchie
- 🔗👶 C by Example
- 📘 C How to Program - Paul Deitel, Harvey Deitel
- 📘 Effective C - An Introduction to Professional C Programming - Robert C. Seacord
- 📘 Modern C - Jens Gustedt
- 🔗 Embedded C Coding Standard
- 🔗 newlib C Library Documentation
- 🔗 The GNU C Library (glibc)
- 📝 From Zero to main(): Bare metal C
- 📝 From Zero to main(): Bootstrapping libc with Newlib
- 📝 Modern C++ in Embedded Development: (Don't Fear) The ++
- 📝 C++ On Embedded Systems
- 🎞️👶 C++ Tutorial for Beginners - Full Course
- 🎞️ C++ by The Cherno (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️👶💎 Udemy - Beginning C++ Programming - From Beginner to Beyond
- 📘💎 Real-Time C++: Efficient Object-Oriented and Template Microcontroller Programming - Christopher Kormanyos
- 📘 Effective Modern C++ - Scott Meyers
- 📝👶 Introduction to ARM Assembly Basics
- 🎞️ Udemy – ARM GNU Assembly Programming From Ground Up
- 🎞️ Assembly Language Programming with ARM – Full Tutorial for Beginners
- 📝 How to Use Inline Assembly Language in C Code
- 📝 Python for embedded systems testing
- 📝👶 The Python Handbook – Learn Python for Beginners
- 🔗💎 Real Python: Python Tutorials
- 📘👶💎 Python Crash Course - Eric Matthes
- 🔗 MicroPython - Python for microcontrollers
- 🔗 MicroPython 101 | Arduino Documentation
- 🔗 CircuitPython
- 📝 The Pros and Cons of Designing Embedded Systems with MicroPython
- 📝 Programming the ESP32 with MicroPython
- 📝 5 roadblocks to Rust adoption in embedded systems
- 🔗 The Embedded Rust Book
- 🎞️ The Future of Programming: Rust (YouTube Playlist)
- 🔗 Community Rust support projects for STM32 microcontrollers
- 🔗 Rust on ESP Community
- 📝 Rust on STM32: Getting started
- 📝 From Zero to main(): Bare metal Rust
- 📝 Writing an OS in Rust - Philipp Oppermann's blog
- 📝 Kernel Driver with Rust in 2022
- 🔗 Rustlings - Small exercises to get you used to reading and writing Rust code!
- 📝 Testing Zig for embedded development
- 🔗 Zig Embedded Group
- 🔗 MicroZig - Unified abstraction layer and HAL for several microcontrollers
- 📝 Zig Bare Metal Programming on STM32F103 — Booting up
Microcontrollers are integrated circuits (ICs) that combine a microprocessor, memory, and input/output (I/O) peripherals on a single chip. They are designed for embedded applications, where they are used to control devices in a variety of industries, including automotive, industrial, consumer electronics, and healthcare.
Some popular microcontroller families include AVR, PIC, STM32, MSP430, nRF, and ESP32. Choosing the right microcontroller involves assessing application requirements, processing power, memory needs, and input/output capabilities. Consider ease of use, cost, reliability, availability, and future expansion.
- 📝 What Is a Microcontroller? The Defining Characteristics and Architecture of a Common Component
- 📝 How to Choose the Right Microcontroller for Your Application
- 📝 How to Read a Microcontroller Datasheet: Introduction and First Steps
- 📘👶 Make: AVR Programming - Elliot Williams
- 🎞️👶💎 NewbieHack - Microcontroller Tutorial - A Beginners Guide (AVR)
- 🎞️👶 Getting Started with STM32 and Nucleo (YouTube Playlist)
- 📘💎 Mastering STM32 - Carmine Noviello
- 📘💎 Developing IoT Projects with ESP32 - Vedat Ozan Oner
- 🎞️👶 Intro to Raspberry Pi Pico and RP2040 (YouTube Playlist)
- 🔗 Getting started with STM32: STM32 step-by-step
- 🎞️ Getting Started With AVR (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ Fundamentals of Microcontrollers - Arduino bare-metal breakdown (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ Bare Metal Embedded Programming: Theory and Practice Using STM32 (YouTube Playlist)
- 📘 Beginning STM32: Developing with FreeRTOS, libopencm3 and GCC - Warren Gay
- 🎞️ Udemy – Microcontroller Embedded C Programming: Absolute Beginners
- 🎞️ Udemy – Embedded Systems STM32 Low-Layer APIs(LL) Driver Development
- 🎞️ Udemy – Embedded Systems STM32 HAL APIs Driver Development
- 📘 Embedded System Design with ARM Cortex-M Microcontrollers: Applications with C, C++ and MicroPython - Cem Ünsalan, Hüseyin Deniz Gürhan, Mehmet Erkin Yücel
- 📘💎 Embedded Systems Design using the MSP430FR2355 LaunchPad - Brock J. LaMeres
- 📘💎 Building Embedded Systems: Programmable Hardware - Changyi Gu
- 🔗 Awesome Embedded: A curated list of awesome embedded programming
- 🎞️ How Do ADCs Work? - The Learning Circuit
- 🎞️ Tutorial 13: ADC in STM32F4
- 🎞️ Tutorial 14: ADC by Polling
- 📝 Introduction to Microcontroller Timers: Periodic Timers
- 📝 AVR Timer programming
- 🎞️ STM32 TIMERS (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ What is PWM?
- 📝 Pulse-width Modulation (PWM) Timers in Microcontrollers
- 🎞️ STM32 Guide #3: PWM + Timers
- 📝 A Guide to Watchdog Timers for Embedded Systems
- 📝 Watchdog Timers in Microcontrollers
- 🎞️ The Watchdog Timer on Arduino
- 🎞️ WATCHDOGS in STM32 || IWDG and WWDG || CubeIDE
- 🎞️ Polling/Interrupt/DMA differences explained easily
- 🎞️ Level Up Your Arduino Code: External Interrupts
- 🎞️ Tutorial 10: Peripheral 2 - Nested Vector Interrupt controller (NVIC) in STM32
- 🎞️ Tutorial 11: LAB - External Interrupt ( EXTI ) Interfacing in STM32 using STM32CUBEMX
- 🎞️ Tutorial 12: Interrupt Priorities in STM32
- 🎞️ Introduction to Direct Memory Access (DMA)
- 🎞️ STM32 DMA PT 1
- 🎞️ STM32 DMA PT 2
- 🎞️ Getting Started With STM32 & Nucleo Part 4: Working with ADC and DMA - Maker.io
- 🎞️ STM32 UART DMA and IDLE LINE || Receive unknown length DATA
- 📝 Clock Configuration in STM32
- 🎞️ STM32: Change clock speed via registers
- 🎞️ #1. Intro to STM32F4 Register Based Programming || Clock Setup || LED Blinking || NO HAL
- 🎞️ Tutorial 8: MCU Clocks configuration in STM32 using STM32CUBEMX
- 🎞️ Clock sources and PLL in ARM Cortex M4
- 🎞️ SLEEP Mode in STM32F103 || CubeIDE || Low Power Mode || Current Consumption
- 🎞️ STOP MODE in STM32 || CubeIDE || Low Power Mode
- 📝 Basics to Developing Bootloader for Arduino
- 📝 From Zero to main(): How to Write a Bootloader from Scratch
- 🎞️ How to Create a Super Simple Bootloader
- 🎞️ Blinky To Bootloader: Bare Metal Programming Series (YouTube Playlist)
- 📝 Simple AVR Bootloader tutorial
- 🎞️💎 Udemy – STM32Fx Microcontroller Custom Bootloader Development
- 📝💎 Device Firmware Update Cookbook
Embedded systems often communicate with other devices or external systems via interfaces, protocols. Interfaces provide the physical connections, protocols define data exchange rules. The choice depends on application-specific needs, including bandwidth, distance, security, and power consumption.
- 🎞️👶 Understanding Serial Protocols
- 📝👶 Understanding and Selecting in 2024: I2C, SPI, UART Explained
- 🎞️ PROTOCOLS: UART - I2C - SPI - Serial communications #001
- 🎞️👶 Understanding UART
- 🎞️ how does UART work??? (explained clearly)
- 🎞️ Basics of UART Communication | UART Frame Structure | RS 232 Basics | Part1
- 🎞️ Understanding UART Communication Programming | UART Peripherals | Part 2
- 🎞️ The RS-232 protocol
- 🎞️👶 Understanding SPI
- 🎞️ SPI: The serial peripheral interface
- 🎞️ Getting Started with STM32 and Nucleo Part 5: How to Use SPI | Digi-Key Electronics
- 📝 SDIO Protocol
- 📝 Interface SD CARD with SDIO in STM32
- 🔗 SDIO Card Slave Driver - ESP32 - Technical Documents
- 🎞️ What is I3C®?
- 🔗 MIPI I3C & MIPI I3C Basic
- 📝 I3C Protocol: Understanding and Debug
- 🎞️ MIPI I3C Basic - The next generation sensor interface enabling low-power IoT applications
- 📝 Introduction to the I2S Interface
- 🎞️ Building a Digital Music Player with I2S?! What is I2S! EB#45
- 🔗 UM11732 - I2S bus specification
- 🎞️ TI Precision Labs - Video Interface: What are HDMI & Dual-Mode DisplayPort?
- 🎞️ HDMI 2.1 & TMDS Crash Course - ENMU EET 457 - Presentation
- 🎞️👶💎 Microchip University - First Steps into Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
- 📝 Bluetooth Basics
- 📝 Bluetooth Low Energy: A Primer
- 📝 A Practical Guide to BLE Throughput
- 🎞️ SparkFun According to Pete #49 - How Bluetooth Works
- 🔗 Bluetooth Low Energy Fundamentals - Nordic Semiconductor
- 🔗 Bluetooth Overview - ESP-IDF Programming Guide
- 🎞️ 802.11 How WiFi Works - Wireless Networks | Computer Networks Ep. 7.3 | Kurose & Ross
- 🎞️ 802.11 Frame Analysis
- 🔗 Wi-Fi Driver - ESP-IDF Programming Guide
- 📝 ESP32 Set an Access Point (AP) using ESP-IDF
- 📝 ESP32 ESP-IDF Connect with WiFi – Station Mode Example
- 📝 The Arduino Guide to LoRa® and LoRaWAN®
- 🔗💎 The Things Fundamentals on LoRaWAN!
- 📝 What are LoRa® and LoRaWAN®?
- 🎞️ #112 LoRa / LoRaWAN De-Mystified / Tutorial
- 🔗 ESP32 with LoRa using Arduino IDE – Getting Started
- 🎞️ What is ZIGBEE And How It Works?
- 🎞️ How to take advantage of Zigbee and Bluetooth LE 5.2 on STM32WB wireless MCUs - Webinar Replay
- 🔗 OpenThread - An open-source implementation of Thread®
- 🎞️ What is Thread? Low-power IoT Networking for Smart Home Devices | Digi-Key Electronics
- 🔗 OpenThread - ESP-IDF Programming Guide
- 🎞️ What is Modbus and How does it Work?
- 🎞️ How does Modbus Communication Protocol Work?
- 🎞️ MODBUS STM32 (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ #144 Internet Protocols: CoAP vs MQTT, Network Sniffing, and preparation for IKEA Tradfri Hacking
- 🎞️ MQTT vs. CoAP | Comparison of IoT Protocols
- 🎞️ Simple ESP32 IoT Sensor Node Tutorial: WiFi Enabled MQTT Sensor Data Node
- 🔗 Cellular IoT Fundamentals - Nordic Semiconductor
- 🎞️👶 Microchip University - Ethernet Fundamentals
- 📝 How the Ethernet Protocol Works – A Complete Guide
- 🎞️ What is an Ethernet PHY?
- 🎞️ The Data Link Layer, MAC Addressing, and the Ethernet Frame
- 🎞️ Microchip University - Serializer/Deserializer (SerDes) Basics for Your Next Microchip Ethernet PHY Design
- 🎞️ Microchip University - Ethernet Switch Fundamentals
- 🎞️👶 Microchip University - Introduction to USB 2.0
- 🎞️👶 Microchip University - USB 3 Fundamentals
- 🎞️ Training - USB 101 - Introduction to USB
- 🔗 USB 101: An Introduction to Universal Serial Bus 2.0
- 🎞️ How does a USB keyboard work?
- 🎞️ How does USB device discovery work?
- 🎞️ MOOC - STM32 USB training (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ Microchip University - USB2 Hub Fundamentals
- 🎞️👶 Microchip University - CAN and CAN FD Protocol and Physical Layer Basics
- 📝👶 CAN bus in 2024: Operation, Advantages and Recent Developments
- 🎞️👶 CAN Bus: Serial Communication - How It Works?
- 🎞️👶 CAN Bus: A Beginners Guide Part 1
- 🎞️👶 CAN Bus: A Beginners Guide Part 2
- 🎞️💎 Microchip University - Designing and Implementing a CAN FD Network
- 🎞️ Improving my electric longboard with a CAN Bus! What can the CAN Bus do? EB#44
- 🎞️ CAN Bus, OBD2 & J1939 Explained (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ J1939 Explained - A Simple Intro [v2.0 | 2021]
- 🎞️ Unified Diagnostic Services (UDS) Explained - A Simple Intro [2022]
- 🎞️ Networking Fundamentals - Practical Networking (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ TCP vs UDP - Explaining Facts and Debunking Myths - TCP Masterclass
- 🎞️ TCP - 12 simple ideas to explain the Transmission Control Protocol
- 🎞️ UDP doesn't suck! It's the BEST L4 protocol for THESE types of applications...
- 🎞️ Networking tutorial - Ben Eater (YouTube Playlist)
- 📘💎 Hands-On Network Programming with C - Lewis Van Winkle
- 📘💎 Network Algorithmics - George Varghese, Jun Xu
- 🔗 tcpdump & libpcap libraries
- 🔗 lwIP - A Lightweight TCP/IP stack
- 🔗 lwIP (ESP-IDF)
- 🔗 Developing applications on STM32Cube with LwIP TCP/IP stack
Embedded systems employ a combination of volatile (SRAM, DRAM, PSRAM) and non-volatile (flash, EEPROM, FRAM) memory to store and access data, based on factors like performance, cost, power consumption, and durability.
- 🎞️ QSPI in STM32 || Write and Read || N25Q
- 🎞️ QSPI in STM32 || Boot from EXT Memory || XIP || N25Q
- 🎞️ Flash Memory in Embedded Linux Systems
- 📝 SRAM vs DRAM: Difference Between SRAM & DRAM Explained
- 🎞️ What is SRAM?
- 🎞️ SDRAM Hardware & Firmware Tutorial (STM32) - Phil's Lab #80
- 🎞️ SDRAM in STM32 || MT48LC4
A file system is a way of organizing data on a storage device, such as a hard drive, flash drive, or solid-state drive. It provides a way to store, access, and manage files, which are collections of data that can be accessed individually. File systems in embedded systems are typically lightweight and optimized for efficiency, considering the limited resources and specific requirements of embedded devices. They often employ simpler file structures and data structures compared to desktop or server file systems.
- 📝 Flash filesystems
- 📝 Block filesystems
- 📝 Understanding the UBI File System in Embedded Devices
- 📝 UBI File System
- 📝 JFFS : The Journalling Flash File System
- 📝 Preventing Filesystem Corruption In Embedded Linux
- 🔗 LittleFS - A high-integrity embedded file system
- 🔗 SPIFS - Wear-leveled SPI flash file system for embedded devices
- 🔗 EEPROM File System (EEFS)
Embedded system development often involves simulating or emulating hardware environments to test and debug software before deploying it on actual hardware. Simulation tools create virtual models of hardware systems, while emulation tools replicate the actual hardware behavior using real hardware components. These tools offer several advantages, including reducing development time, minimizing hardware costs, and enhancing software reliability.
- 🔗👶 Wokwi - Online ESP32, STM32, Arduino Simulator
- 🔗👶 SimulIDE Circuit Simulator
- 🔗👶 Digital logic designer and circuit simulator designed for educational purposes
- 🔗 QEMU’s documentation
- 📝 Running AVR code in QEMU - A quick-start guide to accelerate AVR firmware development
- 📝 QEMU Simulation - Blinky - STM32F767ZI Full Stack
- 📝 Emulating a Raspberry Pi in QEMU
- 🔗 Renode - GitHub Repo
- 🔗 Renode - Documentation
- 🔗 Renode - Official Tutorials
- 📝 Cortex-M MCU Emulation with Renode
- 📝 A simple guide to get started on renode
- 🎞️ Using CI-based workflow with Renode in bringing TensorFlow Lite to Zephyr
Sensors and actuators are the eyes and hands of embedded systems. They are responsible for gathering information about the environment and taking actions based on that information. Sensors convert physical phenomena, such as temperature, light, or sound, into electrical signals that can be processed by the embedded system. Actuators, on the other hand, convert electrical signals into physical actions, such as controlling the speed of a motor or opening and closing a valve.
- 📝 Calibrating Sensors
- 📝 DHT11 vs DHT22 vs LM35 vs DS18B20 vs BME280 vs BMP180
- 🎞️ Getting Started With STM32 and Nucleo Part 2: How to Use I2C to Read Temperature Sensor TMP102
- 🎞️ GPS Module and STM32 || NEO 6M || Get coordinates, Date, Time, Speed, etc.
- 🎞️ Interface MPU6050/GY-521 with STM32 || LCD 20x4 || CubeMx || HAL || SW4STM
- 📝 Arduino with PIR Motion Sensor
- 📝 Complete Guide for Ultrasonic Sensor HC-SR04 with Arduino
- 🎞️ Electronic Basics #15: Temperature Measurement (Part 1) || NTC, PT100, Wheatstone Bridge
- 📝 Adafruit Motor Selection Guide
- 🎞️ DC Motor Speed Controller PWM With Potentiometer Using STM32
- 📝 All About Stepper Motors
- 📝 Using Servos With CircuitPython and Arduino
- 🎞️ Electronic Basics #25: Servos and how to use them
- 🎞️ Electronic Basics #24: Stepper Motors and how to use them
- 🎞️ Electronic Basics #18: DC & Brushless DC Motor + ESC
Digital signal processing (DSP) is a branch of engineering that deals with the processing of digital signals. It is used in a wide variety of applications, including embedded systems, communication systems, and multimedia systems. DSP algorithms are often implemented in hardware using application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).
- 📘💎 The Scientist and Engineer's Guide to Digital Signal Processing - Steven W. Smith
- 🎞️ FIR Filter Design and Software Implementation - Phil's Lab #17
- 🎞️ IIR Filters - Theory and Implementation (STM32) - Phil's Lab #32
- 🎞️ Digital Signal Processing (ECSE-4530) Lectures, Fall 2014 (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ Udemy – Digital Signal Processing (DSP) From Ground Up in C
- 📘 Real-Time Digital Signal Processing: Fundamentals, Implementations and Applications - Sen M. Kuo, Bob H. Lee, Wenshun Tian
- 📘 Real-Time Digital Signal Processing from MATLAB to C with the TMS320C6x DSPs - Thad B. Welch, Cameron H.G. Wright, Michael G. Morrow
- 📘 Schaum's Outline of Signals and Systems - Hwei P. Hsu
- 📘💎 Digital Signal Processing - John G. Proakis, Dimitris K. Manolakis
- 🎞️ Discrete Fourier Transform - Simple Step by Step
- 🎞️ The Fast Fourier Transform (FFT): Most Ingenious Algorithm Ever?
- 🎞️ The FFT Algorithm - Simple Step by Step
- 🎞️ STM32 Fast Fourier Transform (CMSIS DSP FFT) - Phil's Lab #111
- 🎞️ Understanding Control Systems (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ Control Systems - CircuitBread (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️💎 Brian Douglas' Control Systems Lectures (YouTube Channel)
- 📘💎 Control Systems Engineering - Norman S. Nise
- 📘💎 Modern Control Systems - Richard C. Dorf, Robert H. Bishop
- 🎞️👶 What is a PID Controller? | DigiKey
- 🎞️👶 How to Tune a PID Controller for an Inverted Pendulum | DigiKey
- 🎞️ PID Controller Explained
- 🎞️ Understanding PID Control (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ PID Controller Implementation in Software - Phil's Lab #6
- 🎞️ MATLAB Tutorials: Getting Started with MATLAB (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ Getting Started with Simulink (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ Udemy – MATLAB/SIMULINK Bible|Go From Zero to Hero!
Embedded systems can be programmed with either an operating system (OS) or directly on the hardware, known as bare-metal programming. Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages. Embedded operating systems provide a layer of abstraction between the hardware and the application code, offering benefits like resource management, task scheduling, error handling, and communication capabilities. However, they add overhead and may not be suitable for memory-constrained applications.
- 📝👶 Putting the “You” in CPU
- 📘👶 The little book about OS development
- 📘👶 Operating Systems: From 0 to 1
- 📘💎 Operating Systems: Three Easy Pieces - Remzi H Arpaci-Dusseau, Andrea C Arpaci-Dusseau
- 📘💎 Modern Operating Systems - Andrew S. Tanenbaum, Herbert Bos
- 📝 Writing an OS in Rust - Philipp Oppermann's blog
- 🔗 Operating System development tutorials in Rust on the Raspberry Pi
Real-time operating systems (RTOS) are specialized operating systems designed to meet strict timing deadlines. They are used in embedded systems where timing is critical, such as avionics, robotics, and medical devices. RTOSs provide a deterministic environment in which tasks can be executed with predictable timing. This ensures that critical tasks are always executed on time, even in the presence of interrupts and other disruptions.
- 📝 Bare-metal and RTOS Based Embedded Systems
- 📝 RTOS vs. Bare Metal: Navigating Performance, Complexity, and Efficiency
- 📝 The Pros and Cons of RTOS vs Bare Metal: Which Will You Choose?
- 📝 FreeRTOS vs Linux for Embedded Systems
- 🔗 Real-Time Systems Concepts
- 🔗 RTOS Fundamentals
- 📝 A Simple Scheduler via an Interrupt-driven Actor Model
- 📝 ARM Cortex-M RTOS Context Switching
- 🎞️ RTOS (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ Beyond the RTOS (YouTube Playlist)
- 🔗 FreeRTOS - Market leading RTOS
- 🎞️👶 Introduction to RTOS (YouTube Playlist)
- 📘💎 Mastering the FreeRTOS Real Time Kernel - a Hands On Tutorial Guide
- 🎞️👶 Microchip University - FreeRTOS Simplified: A Beginner's Guide to Develop and Debug FreeRTOS Applications
- 🎞️ Getting Started With STM32 and Nucleo Part 3: FreeRTOS - How To Run Multiple Threads w/ CMSIS-RTOS
- 📘 Hands-On RTOS with Microcontrollers: Building real-time embedded systems using FreeRTOS, STM32 MCUs, and SEGGER debug tools - Brian Amos
- 📘 Beginning STM32: Developing with FreeRTOS, libopencm3 and GCC - Warren Gay
- 🔗 SafeRTOS - Safety Critical Real-Time OS
- 🔗 Zephyr® Project
- 🔗 Zephyr: Tutorial for Beginners
- 📝 Why We Moved from FreeRTOS to Zephyr RTOS
- 🔗 nRF Connect SDK
- 🎞️ ESP32 on Zephyr OS (YouTube Playlist)
- 🔗 Micriμm OS
- 🔗 µC/OS-III Documentation
- 📘 µC/OS-III Books
- 📘💎 µC/OS-II Documentation (Previously published as a book titled "MicroC/OS-II: The Real-Time Kernel")
- 🔗 NuttX - The Apache Software Foundation
- 🔗 NuttX Documentation
- 🎞️ Getting Started to NuttX (YouTube Playlist)
- 🔗 RT-Thread | An Open Source Embedded Real-time Operating System
- 🔗 RT-Thread document center
- 🎞️ RT-Thread Beginners Guide (YouTube Playlist)
- 🔗 VxWorks | Industry Leading RTOS for Embedded Systems
- 🔗 VxWorks Documentation
- 🎞️ VxWORKS-RTOS - Kumar M (YouTube Playlist)
- 🔗 Azure RTOS - Making embedded IoT development and connectivity easy
- 🔗 Microsoft Azure RTOS documentation
- 🔗 Azure RTOS ThreadX
Embedded Linux is a specialized version of the Linux operating system tailored for embedded systems. It's designed to operate on devices with resource constraints, such as limited memory, processing power, and power consumption.
- 📝 What Is Embedded Linux?
- 📝 FreeRTOS vs Linux for Embedded Systems
- 🎞️👶 Introduction to Embedded Linux (YouTube Playlist)
- 📝 Mastering Embedded Linux Series - George Hilliard's blog
- 📘💎 Mastering Embedded Linux Programming - Chris Simmonds
- 🎞️💎 Coursera - Advanced Embedded Linux Development Specialization
- 🔗 Linux From Scratch - step-by-step instructions for building your own custom Linux system
- 🔗 Automotive Grade Linux (AGL)
- 🔗 Real Time Linux and
PREEMPT_RT
Patch - 🔗 Android Open Source Project
- 🔗 Android Automotive
- 📘👶 Linux Kernel Development - Robert Love
- 📘💎 The Linux Programming Interface - Michael Kerrisk
- 📘 How Linux Works - Brian Ward
- 📝👶 Writing a Simple Linux Kernel Module
- 📘💎 Linux Device Drivers - Jonathan Corbet, Alessandro Rubini, Greg Kroah-Hartman
- 📘 The Linux Kernel Module Programming Guide
- 📘 Mastering Linux Device Driver Development - John Madieu
- 📝 Kernel Driver with Rust in 2022
- 🔗 Buildroot Documentation
- 🎞️ Introduction to Embedded Linux Part 1 - Buildroot | Digi-Key Electronics
- 📝 Building Tiny Raspberry Pi Linux Images With Buildroot
- 🔗 Yocto Project Quick Build
- 🔗💎 Yocto Project Documentation
- 🎞️ Introduction to Embedded Linux Part 2 - Yocto Project | Digi-Key Electronics
- 📝 Build Linux Image for Raspberry Pi board using Yocto Project
- 🎞️ Yocto Project Tutorial Series (Basic to Advance) (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ Udemy – Embedded Linux using Yocto
- 📘💎 Embedded Linux Systems with the Yocto Project - Rudolf J.Streif
- 📘 Embedded Linux Development using Yocto Project Cookbook - Alex Gonzalez
- 📘 Bootlin Embedded Linux, Kernel, drivers, Yocto, Buildroot and Graphics Training
- 📝 Threading/Concurrency vs Parallelism
- 📝 Multi-threading and Parallel Programming
- 📝 Multitasking vs Multithreading vs Multiprocessing
- 📘💎 Programming with POSIX Threads - David Butenhof
- 📘 C++ Concurrency in Action - Anthony Williams
- 🔗 Parallel Programming and Performance Optimization With OpenMP
- 🎞️ Introduction to OpenMP - Tim Mattson (Intel) (YouTube Playlist)
- 🔗 OpenCL Tutorials
- 🔗 CUDA C++ Programming Guide
- 📝 Inter Process Communication (IPC)
- 📝 What Is Inter-Process Communication In Linux?
- 🎞️ Udemy – Linux Inter Process Communication (IPC) from Scratch in C
- 🎞️ Udemy – Multi-Threading and IPC with Qt 5 C++
- 📝 D-Bus Tutorial
Debugging embedded systems involves identifying and resolving software defects and hardware malfunctions. Various techniques are employed to pinpoint the root causes of issues, such as static code analysis, dynamic analysis, simulation and emulation, in-circuit debugging, and hardware debugging.
JTAG and SWD (Serial Wire Debug) are two popular interface protocols used for debugging and programming embedded systems. JTAG is a more general-purpose protocol that can be used to debug and program a wider range of devices, while SWD is a simpler and more compact protocol that is specifically designed for ARM microcontrollers.
- 📝 A Deep Dive into ARM Cortex-M Debug Interfaces
- 🔗 Guide: Connecting your debugger
- 🎞️ STM32 + SWD + ST-Link + CubeIDE | Debugging on Custom Hardware Tutorial - Phil's Lab #4
- 📝 Diving into JTAG protocol. Part 1 — Overview
- 📝 Diving into JTAG protocol. Part 2 — Debugging
- 📝 Diving into JTAG protocol. Part 3 — Boundary Scan
GDB (GNU Debugger) is a powerful and versatile debugger for source-level and machine-level debugging. It supports a wide range of programming languages, including C, C++, Objective-C, Java, and Rust. GDB is a free and open-source software tool that is widely used by developers and researchers.
- 📝 Advanced GDB Usage
- 📝 How do breakpoints even work?
- 🔗 GNU GDB Debugger Command Cheat Sheet
- 🔗 gdbgui - A browser-based frontend to gdb (gnu debugger)
- 🎞️ everyone needs to stop using print debugging (do THIS instead)
- 🎞️ GDB is REALLY easy! Find Bugs in Your Code with Only A Few Commands
- 📝 Introduction to ARM Semihosting
OpenOCD (Open On-Chip Debugger) is an open-source software tool that provides a powerful and versatile platform for debugging and programming embedded systems. It serves as an interface between a hardware debug adapter (HDA) and a debugger, such as GNU Debugger (GDB), enabling developers to interact with the target microcontroller or microprocessor. OpenOCD supports a wide range of hardware platforms and provides a comprehensive set of features for hardware debugging, programming, and boundary-scan testing.
- 🔗 OpenOCD - GitHub repository
- 🎞️ This Is 100% How You Should Be Debugging | How to Use OpenOCD to Debug Embedded Software with GDB
Build systems automate the process of compiling and linking source code into executable programs. They are essential tools for software development, as they can help to improve the efficiency and consistency of the build process. Popular build systems include Make, and CMake.
GCC (the GNU Compiler Collection) is a free and open-source compiler system that can compile programs for many different programming languages, including C, C++, Objective-C, Fortran, Ada, and Go. GCC is a popular choice for embedded systems development due to its open source nature, maturity, stability, portability, performance, and large community. On the other hand proprietary compilers like Keil and IAR offer toolchain support, target-specific optimizations, and customer support, which may be preferred for specific projects.
- 📝 GCC and Make - Compiling, Linking and Building C/C++ Applications
- 📝 The Best and Worst GCC Compiler Flags For Embedded
- 📝 From Zero to main(): Demystifying Firmware Linker Scripts
- 📝 Bare Metal - From zero to blink
- 🔗 Keil MDK & µVision
- 🔗 IAR Embedded Workbench
CMake and Make are both tools for building software applications. CMake is a meta-build system that generates Makefiles, which are then used by Make to build the software. CMake is more versatile and cross-platform than Make, and it is becoming the more popular choice for modern software development.
- 📝 A Shallow Dive into GNU Make
- 🎞️ Building STM32 projects from scratch with cross platform tools like Make, CMake and arm-gcc compiler toolchain (YouTube Playlist)
- 🔗 CMake Tutorial
- 🎞️ How to CMake Good (YouTube Playlist)
- 📝👶 The most thoroughly commented embedded CMakeLists file
Bash scripting serves as a powerful tool in embedded systems development, enabling developers to automate repetitive tasks, handle complex configurations, and manage the embedded system's environment effectively. Bash scripting is a Linux-specific tool that is not natively integrated into Windows. However, it can be accessed via the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).
Docker containers provide a consistent and isolated environment for building software applications. This can help to improve the reproducibility of builds and reduce the risk of errors. Docker also makes it easier to share build environments, which can save time and effort for developers.
- 🔗 Docker Docs
- 🔗 Docker Cheat Sheet
- 📝👶 Docker for Dummies
- 🎞️ Introduction to Docker for the Embedded Developer
- 🎞️ Intro to CI/CD Part 1: Getting Started with Docker | Digi-Key Electronics
- 📝 A Modern C Development Environment
Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) models provide a structured approach to software development, guiding the process from planning to deployment and maintenance. These models provide a framework for organizing, managing, and executing software projects, ensuring a consistent and efficient development process.
- 📝 What is the software development life cycle?
- 📝 Embedded Product Development Life Cycle: Four Main Steps
- 📝 Does agile work with embedded software?
- 📝 Scrum for embedded software: Good – but for reasons other than what your manager thinks
- 📝 What Is Scrum: A Guide to the Most Popular Agile Framework
- 📝 An agile guide to scrum meetings
- 📝 What is scaled agile framework? (SAFe)
- 🔗 Jira - Issue & Project Tracking Software
- 📝 What is the V model for software development
- 📝 V Model In Software Engineering: Ultimate Guideline
Version control systems are essential tools for managing changes to code and other digital assets. They track changes over time, allowing developers to revert to previous versions, collaborate effectively, and identify potential conflicts. Popular version control systems include Git, Mercurial, and Subversion.
- 🎞️👶 Git Tutorial for Beginners: Learn Git in 1 Hour
- 🎞️ Git for Professionals Tutorial - Tools & Concepts for Mastering Version Control with Git
Testing is an integral part of the embedded systems development process, ensuring the quality, reliability, and safety of these systems. It involves a range of techniques, from unit testing to system testing, to validate the functionality and performance of the software and hardware components.
- 📝 Embedded Testing
- 📝 What is Embedded Testing in Software Testing?
- 📝 Verification vs Validation in Embedded Software
- 📘💎 Test Driven Development for Embedded C - James Grenning
- 📝 Testing: Unit VS Integration VS Regression VS Acceptance
- 📝 Firmware Testing with Renode and GitHub Actions
- 📝 Balancing Test Coverage vs. Overhead
- 📝 Embedded C/C++ Unit Testing Basics
- 📝 Embedded C/C++ Unit Testing with Mocks
- 🔗 Unit Testing for C (especially Embedded Software)
- 📘 Unit Testing Principles, Practices, and Patterns - Vladimir Khorikov
- 🔗 Catch2 - A modern, C++-native, test framework for unit-tests
- 🔗 pytest-embedded
- 📝 Introduction to testing ESP32 code with Pytest
- 📝 Hardware CI Arena
- 📝 Exclave: Hardware Testing in Mass Production, Made Easier
- 📝 Regression Testing of Embedded Systems
Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD) are software development practices that automate the process of building, testing, and deploying software. CI/CD pipelines are designed to ensure that software changes are deployed quickly and reliably.
- 🎞️ Intro to CI/CD Part 1: Getting Started with Docker | Digi-Key Electronics
- 🎞️ Intro to CI/CD Part 2: Getting Started with GitHub Actions | Digi-Key Electronics
- 📝 How to Build a Continuous Integration and Delivery Process for Embedded Software
- 📝 A guide to continuous delivery in embedded development
- 🎞️ Continuous Delivery for Embedded Systems • Mike Long • GOTO 2015
- 📝 Continuous Integration & Continuous Delivery for Embedded Systems (Whitepaper)
- 📝 What is DevOps in an Embedded Device Company?
- 🎞️💎 CI/CD Tutorials (YouTube Playlist)
Software-in-the-loop (SIL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing are two crucial techniques used in embedded systems development to validate the functionality and performance of software before it is deployed on real hardware. These testing methods simulate the real-world environment of the embedded system using software models or hardware emulators.
- 📝 Hardware-in-Loop and Software-in-Loop Testing
- 🎞️ Embedded CI/CD with HIL Testing (YouTube Playlist)
Embedded systems development is subject to a variety of standards and certifications, which serve as guidelines and benchmarks for ensuring the quality, safety, and reliability of these systems. These standards are often developed and maintained by industry bodies, such as the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
- 📝 Intro to Embedded Development: Styles and Standards
- 📝 Safety Standards and Certifications for Embedded Systems Development
- 🎞️ Microchip University - An Introduction To The ISA/IEC 62443 Standard
- 🎞️ Exploring EMC Basics & Standards
- 🎞️👶 Microchip University - Introduction to Functional Safety
- 🎞️ Udemy – Functional Safety According to ISO 26262 - Crash Course
- 📝 A Guide to MISRA C Coding Standards - MISRA C and MISRA C++
- 📝 A Firmware Development Standard by Jack Ganssle
- 📝 Safety-critical Embedded systems: How to prepare for software development
- 📝 DO-178C - Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification
Security in embedded systems is particularly challenging due to resource constraints and the inherent nature of these devices. Embedded systems typically operate on small, low-power microcontrollers with limited memory and processing power. This makes it difficult to implement the same level of security as traditional computing platforms. Additionally, embedded systems often have limited access to updates and patches, making them more vulnerable to known vulnerabilities.
Learning hardware hacking helps security professionals understand how embedded systems can be compromised and develop effective defenses against cyberattacks. This knowledge enhances the resilience of embedded devices to attack.
- 📘💎 Practical Hardware Pentesting - Jean-Georges Valle
- 🎞️ Hardware Hacking Tutorial (YouTube Playlist)
- 📘💎 The Hardware Hacking Handbook: Breaking Embedded Security with Hardware Attacks - Jasper van Woudenberg, Colin O'Flynn
- 🎞️👶 Microchip University - Cryptography Primer
- 🎞️ Hashing, Hashing Algorithms, and Collisions - Cryptography - Practical TLS
- 🎞️ Data Integrity - How Hashing is used to ensure data isn't modified - HMAC - Cryptography
- 🎞️ Encryption - Symmetric Encryption vs Asymmetric Encryption - Cryptography - Practical TLS
- 🎞️ Public and Private Keys - Signatures & Key Exchanges - Cryptography - Practical TLS
- 🎞️ Understanding AES Encryption Mechanics: BMPS
- 📘💎 Understanding Cryptography: A Textbook for Students and Practitioners - Christof Paar, Jan Pelzl
- 📘💎 Handbook of Applied Cryptography - Alfred J. Menezes, Paul C. van Oorschot, Scott A. Vanstone
- 📘 Serious Cryptography: A Practical Introduction to Modern Encryption - Jean-Philippe Aumasson
- 🎞️ MOOC - Security Part2: Basics of cryptography (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ MOOC - Security Part3 : STM32 security features (YouTube Playlist)
- 📝 Introduction to encryption for embedded Linux developers
- 📝 A hands-on approach to symmetric-key encryption
- 📝 Asymmetric-Key Encryption and Digital Signatures in Practice
- 📝 AVR231: AES Bootloader
- 🎞️ Blinky To Bootloader: Bare Metal Programming Series (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ MOOC - Security Part4 : STM32 security in practice (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ MOOC - Security Part5 : How to define your security needs (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ MOOC - Security Part6: STM32 security ecosystem, from theory to practice (YouTube Playlist)
- 🎞️ TPM (Trusted Platform Module) - Computerphile
- 🎞️ Securing Embedded Linux Systems with TPM 2.0 - Philip Tricca, Intel
- 📝 TPM: Basic applications to embedded devices
- 📝 OTA for Embedded Linux Devices: A practical introduction
- 📝 Introduction to Embedded Linux Security - part 1
- 📝 Introduction to Embedded Linux Security - part 2
Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) have become an indispensable part of modern embedded systems, offering a user-friendly and intuitive way to interact with devices. Designing effective GUIs for embedded systems requires careful consideration of factors such as resource constraints, user experience, and real-time performance.
- 🔗 U8glib library for monochrome displays, version 2
- 🔗 LVGL
- 🔗 TouchGFX
- 🎞️ Introduction to Qt / QML (YouTube Playlist)
The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a network of interconnected devices, which gather and exchange data with other devices or with the cloud. Embedded systems are typically the "brains" of IoT devices, managing data collection, processing, and communication tasks. Embedded systems are designed to operate with limited power and resources, making them well-suited for IoT applications.
- 📝 Saving bandwidth with delta firmware updates
- 📝 Delta Over-The-Air Device Firmware Update
- 📝 FreeRTOS Delta Over-the-Air Updates
- 🔗 ESP Delta OTA
Edge AI refers to the ability of devices to perform machine learning tasks on their own, without the need to send data to a central server. This can be done by using small, specialized AI models that are embedded directly into the device. TinyML is a subset of Edge AI that focuses on developing these models for devices with very limited computing power, such as microcontrollers and sensors.
- 📝 A beginner's guide to artificial intelligence and machine learning
- 📝👶 Introduction to Machine Learning for Coders!
- 📝 Machine Learning Crash Course with TensorFlow APIs - Google
- 🎞️ Getting Started with TensorFlow and Keras – Maker.io | Digi-Key Electronics
- 🎞️ Intro to TensorFlow Lite Part 1: Wake Word Feature Extraction – Maker.io | Digi-Key Electronics
- 🎞️ Intro to TensorFlow Lite Part 2: Speech Recognition Model Training – Maker.io | Digi-Key Electronics
- 🎞️👶 Intro to TinyML Part 1: Training a Neural Network for Arduino in TensorFlow | Digi-Key Electronics
- 🎞️👶 Intro to TinyML Part 2: Deploying a TensorFlow Lite Model to Arduino | Digi-Key Electronics
- 🎞️ Coursera - Introduction to Embedded Machine Learning
- 🎞️ TinyML: Getting Started with TensorFlow Lite for Microcontrollers | Digi-Key Electronics
- 🎞️ TinyML: Getting Started with STM32 X-CUBE-AI | Digi-Key Electronics
- 🎞️ edX - Fundamentals of TinyML
- 🎞️ edX - Applications of TinyML
- 🎞️ edX - Deploying TinyML
- 🎞️ edX - MLOps for Scaling TinyML
- 📘 TinyML: Machine Learning with TensorFlow Lite on Arduino and Ultra-Low-Power Microcontrollers - Pete Warden, Daniel Situnayake
AUTOSAR, or AUTomotive Open System ARchitecture, is a global industry standard for automotive software development. It is a software architecture that provides a standardized platform for developing and integrating software components in vehicle electronic control units (ECUs). This allows different ECUs from different manufacturers to communicate and work together seamlessly.
- 🔗 AUTOSAR Standards
- 🎞️ AUTOSAR Basics | AUTOSAR Tutorial | Architecture | Automotive
- 🎞️ Introduction to AUTOSAR
- 🎞️ Udemy - Autosar Architecture (Learn from Scratch with Demo)
At first this was meant to be my personal reading list but as the list gradually became bigger and bigger, I wondered why not share it with others. So I did research on current job postings for embedded engineering roles, selecting the most frequent skills and including them on a roadmap. In order to make the roadmap more comprehensive I also added some basic skills and finally came up with what you see here.
The idea of creating this roadmap came from vazeri / Embedded-Engineering-RoadMap-2018 which was well designed but had some flaws and not updated for years. I took that idea, changed the structure of the roadmap and tried to improve it. The initial results can be accessed in m3y54m / Embedded-Engineering-Roadmap-Archived which is now archived. Early versions of the roadmap were created using Balsamiq Wireframes which is not suitable for these types of diagrams. So I decided to use Microsoft Visio instead and redrew the whole diagram.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License which means that you are free to share or adapt this work under the following terms:
Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.
Special thanks to my friends in the community of Iranian Embedded Engineers in Twitter and r/embedded subreddit for their suggestions that helped in improving this roadmap.
If you think that this roadmap can be improved in anyway or you know about some good learning resources that can be added here, please start an issue or a pull request. I’ll be maintaining and updating this repository frequently.
The source file is created using Microsoft Visio in .vsdx
format and included in this repository for your contributions. If you do not have Microsoft Visio or you want to use free software, you can use draw.io which can import and export .vsdx
files.