(I know that I can set up my debug tools, but I often don’t require them).Īnother option, and one that I use when I’m using my SEGGER J-Link Ultra+, is to use the Cortex-Debug plug-in. I often do this when I’m working with ESP32 parts. One option for debugging is to simply use the terminal to print messages into the terminal. There are several ways to debug depending on the tools that you are using.
I know that one question developers have is how can I debug my code from Visual Studio Code. Several other plug-ins that I have found to be helpful include: I often use the component create and the build/deploy/monitor shortcuts.
In addition, developers have access to commands that can be quickly executed in the terminal without having to remember the commands. These plug-ins simplify the setup for the ESP32 toolchain. For example, if you are working with the ESP32, Visual Studio Code has several plug-ins that are extremely useful such as: The plug-ins that you need are going to depend on what you want to accomplish. Personally, it’s nice to have just a single environment to work from to do everything! However, if you don’t have the right plug-ins, it can definitely be difficult.
Visual Studio Code provides a wide range of plug-ins that allows the environment to be used for embedded systems, mobile applications, and even Python development. I will often use the terminal to directly build my code, push changes to a Git repo, or load a Docker container and execute my CI/CD process. This allows developers to work within one environment and issue commands without having to bounce to other applications. In addition to text editing and the extension system, Visual Studio Code also includes quick access to a terminal. Adding the Doxygen extension makes it easy to generate code documentation. For example, if you are working with C/C++, adding the C/C++ extension to Visual Studio Code can provide better IntelliSense. Visual Studio Code is a text editor that is customized through extensions. However, the streamlined nature of Visual Studio Code makes it extremely flexible and easily used for many purposes. It does not contain the more complex features or workflows developers find in an Eclipse-based IDE. Visual Studio Code is a streamlined code editor with support for development operations like debugging, task running, and version control. Yet, I find myself using Visual Studio Code for development more than I use any other integrated development environment! In this post, I’ll share a little bit about Visual Studio Code and how you can use it to develop embedded software.
Using a Microsoft product to develop embedded software seems ridiculous.
Several years ago, I never would have believed that embedded developers would use a tool like Visual Studio Code. Bill Whitehead on 3 Tips for Evaluating your Codes Quality.Rob Uiterlinden on 3 Tips for Evaluating your Codes Quality.Martin Otzen on The Secret Embedded Software Definition Experts Use.Jacob Beningo on 3 Tips for Evaluating your Codes Quality.