Cortex-M Software Development Fundamentals (Coursera)

Course 3 of 4 in the Arm Cortex-M Architecture and Software Development Specialization.

What You Will Learn

- Compile and link Cortex-M applications using mandatory, recommended and commonly-used switches.

- Debug and trace a Cortex-M application running on a Cortex-M device.

- Boot and initialize a Cortex-M system using standard programming techniques.

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Course Introduction

This course delves into software development topics such as working with Arm C/C++ compilers and Arm debug tools to optimize your software, whether it's for performance or code size. This course also looks more closely at the Common Microcontroller Software Interface Standard and how it helps ensure that software targeted at Cortex-M devices can be written using a consistent approach.This module describes the essential compiler and linker options required in order to develop applications targeted at different Arm embedded systems. The presentation includes information about Arm Compiler for Embedded and the GNU toolchain.

Compiler & Linker Fundamentals

WEEK 2

Debug & Trace

This module describes the debug and trace features available in the Armv8-M Mainline architecture.

WEEK 3

Booting & Initialisation

The Booting and Initialization module takes you through essential startup code that can ensure that the processor and system are configured and initialised appropriately before the 'main' function is reached in the C program.

WEEK 4

Cortex-M Walkthrough

This module introduces Tarmac trace from Fast Models, and uses that to walk through everything a Cortex-M3 device would do if used with CMSIS code from Reset to the main() function, to triggering an interrupt using the NVIC. Although the module is related to a Cortex-M3 device, the details presented also apply to any Armv7-M / Armv8-M device, acting as a recap of all the content covered in this M-profile course.