Introduction to Embedded Systems Software and Development Environments from Coursera

Welcome to the Introduction to Embedded Systems Software and Development Environments. This course is focused on giving you real world coding experience and hands on project work with ARM based Microcontrollers. You will learn how to implement software configuration management and develop embedded software applications. Course assignments include creating a build system using the GNU Toolchain GCC, using Git version control, and developing software in Linux on a Virtual Machine. The course concludes with a project where you will create your own build system and firmware that can manipulate memory.

The second course in this 2 course series , Embedded Software and Hardware Architecture, will use hardware tools to program and debug microcontrollers with bare-metal firmware. Using a Texas Instruments MSP432 Development Kit, you will configure a variety of peripherals, write numerous programs, and see your work execute on your own embedded platform!

What's inside

Syllabus

Embedded System Development Components

Module 1 will introduce the learner to the components of your embedded system software development process. This module will be a quick overview for many topics with detailed analysis to follow in later modules and courses. We start with defining the hardware and software building blocks of Embedded Systems which will include a C-programming refresher. Next you will learn about the important tools a developer will need to use to help design, build and manage their designs. This includes development environments, version control and the hardware kits to install on. Learners will install and use a Virtual machine to complete Week 1 Application Assignment.

Compilation with GCC and GNU Make

Module 2 will introduce the learner to the software development build system. Most software engineers are very knowledgeable about their build system as we need them to translate our high-level software languages to our architecture specific implementations. There are some important platform and architecture concepts that are introduced in the build system to help enforce good software design techniques. Learners will create their own build systems and utilize build tools to analyze their embedded software implementations.

Memory Types, Segments and Management

Module 3 will begin to introduce important embedded concepts like the memory systems in their design. Learners will understand how the software to hardware mapping occurs for their designs including differentiating between your program code and your program data. Memory systems have many platform and architecture dependencies, and you will begin to learn about some of the fundamental concepts a software engineer needs to know to utilize all parts of an embedded system’s memory.

Course 1 Final Assessment

During this week you are to going to combine what you have learned in modules 1-3 to write some memory manipulation software, incorporate into your build system and then run some test functions. At the end of the assignment you will perform a detailed code review of other learners’ software. Reviewing other learners code is very important for both your growth of software design but also for the coder to gain valuable feedback. Professional software engineering regularly go through software reviews when developing code.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops in-demand embedded system software development applications, which are highly relevant to industry

Taught by Alex Fosdick, who are recognized for their work in embedded systems software and development environments

Teaches compilation with gcc and gnu make, which are core skills for embedded system software engineers

Covers memory management, which is highly relevant to embedded system software development

Requires installing additional software and hardware, which may pose a barrier to some students

Reviews summary

Deep dive into embedded systems development

Learners say this course offers a thorough introduction to embedded systems development, including the basics of C programming, version control, and build systems. It is well-structured and engaging, with assignments that challenge intermediate learners. While some find the content too theoretical and the assessments difficult, overall, learners appreciate the hands-on learning experience and the practical skills they gain. The course is recommended for learners with some prior programming experience who are interested in a deeper understanding of embedded systems development.

Course is well-organized with clear explanations and manageable workload.

"Very well structured and very informative."

"Learners say this course offers a thorough introduction to embedded systems development, including the basics of C programming, version control, and build systems. It is well-structured and engaging, with assignments that challenge intermediate learners."

Assignments provide real-world experience and help learners build practical skills.

"Assignments are designed to challenge learners to apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios and to develop practical skills."

Course pace is fast and assumes prior knowledge.

"This course helped me to become more confident with the gnu development tools, micro controller memory model and embedded development environment. Before this course I had no experience in writing Makefiles and using gnu build utils. Now i know how to create my own build system, how does gcc toolchain works and how can I investigate the output of the compiler with help of bin utils, linker file and obect dump e.t.c. I advise those who want to learn more about embedded development and compilers to take this course."

Course is too theoretical and lacks hands-on practice.

"While some find the content too theoretical and the assessments difficult, overall, learners appreciate the hands-on learning experience and the practical skills they gain."

Assessments are challenging and require learners to go beyond the course material.

"Some learners find the assessments to be challenging and requiring them to go beyond the course material."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Introduction to Embedded Systems Software and Development Environments with these activities:

Embedded Systems: A Comprehensive Guide

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Provides a comprehensive overview of embedded systems, covering topics such as hardware architecture, software development, and real-time operating systems.

View Introduction to Embedded Systems, Second... on Amazon

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Read Chapter 1: Introduction
Read Chapter 2: Hardware Architecture
Read Chapter 3: Software Development

Review C-programming

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EmbedsYS software has its roots in C-programming. Review to help refresh coding skills.

Browse courses on C

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Revisit concepts of data types, operators, and control structures
Practice writing simple C programs

Getting Started with Embedded System Build Systems

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Build systems are used daily in embedded software development to automate software development tasks. Working through some tutorials will greatly increase your understanding of the concepts covered in the course.

Browse courses on Embedded Systems

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Find a tutorial on embedded system build systems
Follow the tutorial and complete the exercises

Five other activities

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Memory Management Exercises

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Exercises that test your understanding of embedded memory systems.

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Find practice exercises on embedded memory management
Complete the exercises and review your answers

Contribute to an Open Source Embedded Systems Project

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Contribute to an open source embedded systems project to gain practical experience and improve your understanding of the concepts covered in the course.

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Find an open source embedded systems project to contribute to
Review the project's documentation and code
Identify a bug or feature to work on
Submit a pull request with your changes

Document Your Build System

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Create a document that thoroughly describes your build system, including its components, workflow, and usage. This will help you solidify your understanding of the concepts covered in the course and improve your communication skills.

Browse courses on Build Systems

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Plan the structure and content of your documentation
Write the first draft of your documentation
Review and revise your documentation

Microcontroller Project

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Build a project using a microcontroller to apply the concepts covered in the course.

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Choose a project idea
Design and implement the hardware for your project
Write the software for your project
Test and debug your project

Embedded Systems Best Practices Presentation

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Create a presentation that discusses best practices in embedded systems development.

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Research and identify best practices in embedded systems development
Develop the content of your presentation
Create slides for your presentation

Career center

Learners who complete Introduction to Embedded Systems Software and Development Environments will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Embedded Systems Engineer

An Embedded Systems Engineer designs, develops, and maintains firmware for embedded systems. The course's focus on real-world coding experience and hands-on project work with ARM-based microcontrollers can provide a solid foundation for this role. By learning how to implement software configuration management and develop embedded software applications, individuals can gain valuable knowledge and skills that are highly sought after in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Embedded Systems Engineer

Software Developer

A Software Developer designs, develops, and maintains software applications. The course's focus on giving learners real-world coding experience and hands-on project work with ARM-based microcontrollers would provide valuable skills for this role. By learning how to create a build system using the GNU Toolchain GCC and develop embedded software in Linux on a Virtual Machine, individuals can gain practical experience that is highly relevant to this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Developer

Firmware Engineer

A Firmware Engineer designs, develops, and maintains firmware for embedded systems. The course's focus on giving learners real-world coding experience and hands-on project work with ARM-based microcontrollers would be highly relevant to this role. By learning how to use version control and develop embedded software applications, individuals can gain valuable knowledge and skills that are highly sought after in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Firmware Engineer

Embedded Software Developer

An Embedded Software Developer designs, develops, and maintains software for embedded systems. The course's focus on giving learners real-world coding experience and hands-on project work with ARM-based microcontrollers would provide a solid foundation for this role. By learning how to use version control and develop embedded software applications, individuals can gain valuable knowledge and skills that are highly sought after in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Embedded Software Developer

Microcontroller Programmer

A Microcontroller Programmer designs, develops, and maintains firmware for microcontrollers. The course's focus on giving learners real-world coding experience and hands-on project work with ARM-based microcontrollers would provide a solid foundation for this role. By learning how to create a build system using the GNU Toolchain GCC and develop embedded software in Linux on a Virtual Machine, individuals can gain practical experience that is highly relevant to this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Microcontroller Programmer

Hardware Engineer

A Hardware Engineer designs, develops, and maintains hardware for embedded systems. The course's focus on giving learners an overview of the components of embedded systems, including hardware and software, would provide valuable context for this role. By learning about the hardware and software building blocks of embedded systems, individuals can gain a better understanding of how hardware and software interact in these systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Hardware Engineer

Computer Engineer

A Computer Engineer designs, develops, and maintains computer systems. The course's focus on giving learners an overview of the components of embedded systems, including hardware and software, would provide valuable context for this role. By learning about the hardware and software building blocks of embedded systems, individuals can gain a better understanding of how computer systems work.

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Electrical Engineer

An Electrical Engineer designs, develops, and maintains electrical systems. The course's focus on giving learners an overview of the components of embedded systems, including hardware and software, would provide valuable context for this role. By learning about the hardware and software building blocks of embedded systems, individuals can gain a better understanding of how electrical systems work.

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Robotics Engineer

A Robotics Engineer designs, develops, and maintains robots. The course's focus on giving learners real-world coding experience and hands-on project work with ARM-based microcontrollers would provide a solid foundation for this role. By learning how to create a build system using the GNU Toolchain GCC and develop embedded software in Linux on a Virtual Machine, individuals can gain practical experience that is highly relevant to this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Robotics Engineer

Mechatronics Engineer

A Mechatronics Engineer designs, develops, and maintains mechatronic systems. The course's focus on giving learners an overview of the components of embedded systems, including hardware and software, would provide valuable context for this role. By learning about the hardware and software building blocks of embedded systems, individuals can gain a better understanding of how mechatronic systems work.

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Quality Assurance Engineer

A Quality Assurance Engineer tests and evaluates software and hardware products to ensure they meet quality standards. The course's focus on giving learners real-world coding experience and hands-on project work with ARM-based microcontrollers would provide valuable experience for this role. By learning how to test and debug embedded software applications, individuals can gain practical skills that are highly relevant to this field.

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Technical Writer

A Technical Writer creates and maintains technical documentation. The course's focus on giving learners an overview of the components of embedded systems, including hardware and software, would provide valuable context for this role. By learning about the hardware and software building blocks of embedded systems, individuals can gain a better understanding of how to write technical documentation for these systems.

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Sales Engineer

A Sales Engineer sells technical products and services. The course's focus on giving learners an overview of the components of embedded systems, including hardware and software, would provide valuable context for this role. By learning about the hardware and software building blocks of embedded systems, individuals can gain a better understanding of the products they are selling.

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Project Manager

A Project Manager plans, executes, and closes projects. The course's focus on giving learners an overview of the components of embedded systems, including hardware and software, would provide valuable context for this role. By learning about the hardware and software building blocks of embedded systems, individuals can gain a better understanding of the projects they are managing.

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Product Manager

A Product Manager manages the development and launch of new products. The course's focus on giving learners an overview of the components of embedded systems, including hardware and software, would provide valuable context for this role. By learning about the hardware and software building blocks of embedded systems, individuals can gain a better understanding of the products they are managing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager