Phillip Johnston, Author at Embedded Artistry

22 July 201610 June 2021

Embedded C++: What’s the value?

It's not uncommon to hear this statement: "C++ just doesn't work well for embedded systems." Often, there will be vague, sweeping reasons such as: C code is going to be smaller than C++! C++ is totally going to blow up your stack / heap allocations! C++ is a powerful tool - and you have to …

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12 July 201621 April 2020

Blanket Advice is Rarely Useful for Embedded Systems

When I'm searching for embedded systems information, it's amazing how much blanket advice I encounter - often just repeating truths from previous generations or providing advice without considering design constraints. It's important to remember how diverse embedded systems can be. You might be developing for an 8-bit microcontroller with only 4KB ROM and 1KB RAM. …

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11 July 201615 August 2023

Save State Often

Developers: save state every chance you get! It blows my mind that it still needs to be said, but I was prompted after hearing this: "We never got around to properly using source control, we just didn't have the time." Unfortunately, this situation is far too common among developers, especially those moving at a fast …

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8 July 201621 April 2020

The Glossary

The firmware, hardware, and manufacturing worlds involve an immense amount of jargon - for the uninitiated, listening to a conversation can sound like a crazy waterfall of alphabet soup and nonsense words. I have decided to keep a living glossary to make things more accessible for new comers. I'll also add links so those who …

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7 July 201625 January 2024

Schematic Reviews for Firmware Engineers

As a firmware engineer, you will often be tasked with schematic reviews by your hardware team. Take this seriously and provide a thorough review. Once a board is built, correcting mistakes may be difficult or impossible without re-spinning the board. If you don't understand the circuitry, sit down with the designer and walk through the …

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2 July 201614 December 2021

The Most Fun (and Useful!) Shell Command

I love when a fellow programmer introduces me to a new tool that significantly improves my workflow. By sharing the tools I use on a daily basis, I hope I can improve your workflows as well. Have a tool you want to share with me? Hit me up in the comments or shoot me an …

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30 June 201614 December 2021

Mission Statement

I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow. -Woodrow Wilson Welcome! While rise of the Internet of Things has brought embedded systems into the spotlight, it's still challenging to find helpful information as a developer. Many people who dabble with embedded systems primarily work with Embedded Linux …

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