Best Embedded Software Development Tools

Apache NetBeans is a versatile, open-source Integrated Development Environment (IDE) used for developing applications across a wide range of programming languages, including Java, JavaScript, PHP, HTML5, and C/C++. Known for its modular architecture, NetBeans provides robust tools and features that cater to the needs of developers working on desktop, mobile, and web applications. It includes intelligent code editing, debugging, and profiling capabilities, along with a built-in visual GUI builder for designing Java-based user interfaces. NetBeans also offers support for version control systems like Git, SVN, and Mercurial, facilitating seamless team collaboration. As an Apache Software Foundation project, NetBeans benefits from an active community that continuously improves and expands its functionality, making it a reliable and flexible choice for developers across various domains.

Storyboard is an embedded GUI development framework that accelerates the design and delivery of modern UX for tomorrow’s IoT and wearable devices. With its Rapid Design Import and Iteration Technology, embedded developers around the world are able to create products that offer unmatched GUI experiences (graphics, voice, and audio), uniquely optimized for all operating systems and platforms, including resource-constrained MCU and MPU platforms. Storyboard aligns embedded developers with the iterative change processes of designers — using popular tools like Sketch and Photoshop — helping manufacturers achieve high-quality UX without sacrificing performance or development time. With only a few mouse clicks, developers use Storyboard to visualize changed assets and rapidly assess, accept, or reject elements in a timesaving manner. This accelerated workflow allows teams to refine their products at any stage in their development cycle.

Klocwork static code analysis and SAST tool for C, C++, C#, Java, and JavaScript identifies software security, quality, and reliability issues helping to enforce compliance with standards. Built for enterprise DevOps and DevSecOps, Klocwork scales to projects of any size, integrates with large complex environments, a wide range of developer tools, and provides control, collaboration, and reporting for the entire enterprise. This has made Klocwork the preferred static analyzer that keeps development velocity high while enforcing continuous compliance for security and quality. Use Klocwork static application security testing (SAST) for DevOps (DevSecOps). Our security standards identify security vulnerabilities, helping to find and fix security issues early and proving compliance to internationally recognized security standards. Klocwork integrates with CI/CD tools, containers, cloud services, and machine provisioning making automated security testing easy.

NVIDIA's Jetson platform is a leading solution for embedded AI computing, utilized by professional developers to create breakthrough AI products across various industries, as well as by students and enthusiasts for hands-on AI learning and innovative projects. The platform comprises small, power-efficient production modules and developer kits, offering a comprehensive AI software stack for high-performance acceleration. This enables the deployment of generative AI at the edge, supporting applications like NVIDIA Metropolis and the Isaac platform. The Jetson family includes a range of modules tailored to different performance and power efficiency needs, such as the Jetson Nano, Jetson TX2, Jetson Xavier NX, and the Jetson Orin series. Each module is designed to meet specific AI computing requirements, from entry-level projects to advanced robotics and industrial applications.

Perforce version control — Helix Core — tracks and manages changes to your source code, digital assets, and large binary files. But it does so much more than that. Helix Core helps development teams move faster, even as they develop more complex products. And it provides a single source of truth across development. Contributors can sync their work into Helix Core from the tools they’re already using. Plus, Helix Core can handle everything. 10s of thousands of users. 10s of millions of daily transactions, 100s of terabytes of data. And 10,000+ concurrent commits. It can even deliver files quickly to remote users without the WAN wait. And it can be used on-premises or in the cloud. Spend less time dealing with tools and processes — and more time delivering value. Helix Core ensures that everyone is efficient. You'll get fast feedback, flexibility, and automation for faster builds. Stop wasting your developers’ time with manual workflows — and let them get back to coding.

MPLAB® Harmony v3 is a fully integrated embedded software development framework that provides flexible and interoperable software modules to simplify the development of value-added features and reduce your product’s time to market. Core-agnostic implementation which supports both MIPS® and Arm® Cortex® core architectures. Code portability with consistent APIs that can be used across different device families. Easily configurable using MPLAB Harmony Configurator’s (MHC’s) Graphical User Interface (GUI). Validated across 32-bit PIC® (MIPS-based) and SAM (Arm Cortex-based) MCU and MPU device families. Fully Integrated with third-party solutions like FreeRTOS and Micrium® and able to import projects created in IAR Embedded Workbench. Added support for SAM families of Arm Cortex-M based devices, including a free software development environment. Easy device and library setup using the graphical configuration features provided by MHC’s GUI.

The µVision IDE combines project management, run-time environment, build facilities, source code editing, and program debugging in a single powerful environment. µVision is easy-to-use and accelerates your embedded software development. µVision supports multiple screens and allows you to create individual window layouts anywhere on the visual surface. The µVision Debugger provides a single environment in which you may test, verify, and optimize your application code. The debugger includes traditional features like simple and complex breakpoints, watch windows, and execution control and provides full visibility to device peripherals. With the µVision Project Manager and Run-Time Environment you create software application using pre-build software components and device support from Software Packs. The software components contain libraries, source modules, configuration files, source code templates, and documentation.

Static analysis helps you to find potential issues in your code by doing an analysis on the source code level. C-STAT includes almost 700 checks in total, some comply with rules as defined by MISRA C:2012, MISRA C++:2008 and MISRA C:2004 and more than 250 checks mapping to issues covered by CWE. In addition, it checks compliance with the coding standard CERT C for secure coding. C-STAT executes fast and provides you with comprehensive and detailed error information. You don't need to worry about complex tool setup and struggle with language support and general build issues. C-STAT is completely integrated in the IAR Embedded Workbench IDE and enables you to easy ensure code quality in your daily development flow. It's available for most IAR Embedded Workbench products. Static analysis finds potential issues in code by doing an analysis on the source code level. In addition to raising the code quality, the analysis also aids alignment with industry coding standards.

As the pace of microprocessor innovation continues to accelerate, application developers know they can rely on Green Hills Compilers to unlock the hardware's full potential and realize maximum performance and functional safety in their next-generation applications. Green Hills Compilers use the most advanced optimizations to maximize your program's performance even within strict size constraints. For example, our CodeFactor™ optimization speeds your program's execution and reduces its size by removing redundant segments of code via subroutine calls and tail merges. Static basing provides the same benefits (faster speed, smaller size) by grouping data items to significantly reduce the number of load address operations. Every one of our optimizations, whether it's our own innovation or an industry standard, is meticulously implemented. Continuing three decades of engineering excellence, we painstakingly research and then test each one against hundreds of benchmarks.

Metalware allows engineers to rapidly understand the hardware and write code by combining insights from datasheets and SDKs. We generate an Intermediate Representation (IR) which is a structured data file generated from documents describing a programmable part, containing a register map for HAL generation and device metadata for compiler lookup of device invariants. This IR enables the implementation of the target RTOS or SDK's API by identifying registers and their layout, whether contiguous or FIFO-backed, etc based on the device metadata. Automatically generate implementation code (HAL, header files) for your target RTOS or SDK.

Atmel START is an innovative online tool for intuitive, graphical configuration of embedded software projects. It lets you select and configure software components, drivers and middleware, as well as complete example projects specifically tailored to the needs of your application. The configuration stage lets you review dependencies between software components, conflicts and hardware constraints. In the case of a conflict, Atmel START will automatically suggest solutions that fit your specific setup. With graphical pin-mux and clock configuration, you can easily match your software and drivers with your own hardware layout. The tool also provides automated assistance for retargeting projects and applications for different devices. Getting that sample code to run on your board has never been easier. When you are done with your configuration, you can download it for use together with your preferred integrated development environment (IDE).