JTAG, SWD, logic analysers and oscilloscopes inspect running hardware.
JTAG/SWD provide breakpoints, single-step and memory inspection; logic analysers decode digital buses; oscilloscopes show analogue timing; serial logging and trace (ITM/ETM) help. Techniques: assert, binary search for faults, toggling a GPIO to time code.
A logic analyser reveals an I²C NACK problem.
Debugging tools reveal what hardware and software actually do, which is essential when a bug only appears on real hardware.
JTAG, SWD, logic analysers and oscilloscopes inspect running hardware.
Debugging tools reveal what hardware and software actually do, which is essential when a bug only appears on real hardware.
JTAG uses more pins and a longer protocol, while SWD uses two wires and is common on ARM microcontrollers.
A logic analyser captures many digital channels and decodes protocols, which is more efficient for digital timing and bus problems.
Typical applications include stepping through firmware with a JTAG or SWD debugger, capturing a bus signal with a logic analyser to check protocol timing and measuring a supply ripple with an oscilloscope during a fault.
Study "Watchdog timers" first (topic 75 of 104 in Electronics & Embedded). It covers the groundwork this topic builds on.
Hardware vs software breakpoints. Heisenbugs. Hardware in the loop.
A logic analyser reveals an I²C NACK problem.
The next topic is "Real-time operating systems", which builds directly on this one.
It is classed as Advanced in Electronics & Embedded (topic 76 of 104). It is an advanced topic. It assumes you are comfortable with the intermediate topics in Electronics & Embedded.
Want to practise? Open the interactive course for quick checks, quizzes, simulations and progress tracking.