This roadmap is designed to assist beginners aspiring to build a career as an Embedded Engineer / Developer. To provide comprehensive guidance, the topics have been carefully selected based on current job requirements and organized according to my personal experience.
Becoming an embedded engineer requires a broad understanding of both software and hardware. If you are starting on this journey, you must be highly motivated and passionate to pursue this path. The field of embedded systems demands a solid understanding of hardware functionality. But, as the well-known saying goes, "Hardware is hard!". So, patience and passion are the essential qualities that will help you overcome the various challenges encountered along this journey.
computer system that is part of a larger system and performs some of the requirements of that system. For example, a computer system used in an aircraft or rapid transit system.
The hardware and software of an embedded system are usually minimized and optimized for specific functions. The embedded system includes at least one microcontroller, microprocessor or digital signal processor. The embedded system designed to optimize reliability, cost, size and power saving for applications.
"Making Embedded Systems" Book:
An embedded system is a computerized system that is purpose built for its application.
"Computer Organization and Embedded Systems" Book:
A physical system that employs computer control for a specific purpose, rather than for general-purpose computation, is referred to as an embedded system.
An embedded system is a system in which the computer (generally a microcontroller or microprocessor) is included as an integral part of the system.
Often, the computer is relatively invisible to the user, without obvious applications, files, or operating systems. Examples of products with invisible embedded systems are the controller that runs a microwave oven or the engine control system of a modern automobile.
A combination of computer hardware and software, and perhaps additional mechanical or other parts, designed to perform a dedicated function.
In some cases, embedded systems are part of a larger system or product, as in the case of an antilock braking system in a car.
The roadmap is divided into three main sections: SOFTWARE, HARDWARE, and SOFT SKILLS.
The hardware and software sections overlap in many embedded job roles. Different job titles, such as "Embedded Software Engineer / Developer," "Firmware Engineer / Developer," and "Embedded Linux Software Engineer / Developer," tend to focus more on software. On the other hand, job roles like "Embedded Hardware Engineer" and "Hardware Design Engineer" primarily focus on hardware. Additionally, there are positions like "Embedded Systems Engineer" that require a good understanding of both hardware and software. It's crucial to understand that each company in the embedded industry may have specific requirements for a job role, regardless of its title.
With this in mind, the roadmap is designed to cover topics necessary for an "Embedded Systems Engineer" role. If you are aiming for an embedded software position, you should focus more on software skills in the roadmap. Conversely, if you are interested in an embedded hardware job, you should prioritize hardware skills.
In the embedded industry, all job roles require some soft skills, which cannot be acquired solely through reading or watching videos. Soft skills are developed through communication with others and facing various work challenges. Improving soft skills is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It varies depending on your individual characteristics and involves being aware of your own strengths and weaknesses. Enhancing these skills takes time and effort.
Remember that the emphasis on software or hardware skills may vary depending on the specific requirements of the company or job position.
- Coursera - Introduction to Embedded Systems Software and Development Environments
- Coursera - Embedded Software and Hardware Architecture
- Fastbit Embedded Brain Academy
- Quantum Leaps, LLC (YouTube Channel)
- DigiKey (YouTube Channel)
- element14 presents (YouTube Channel)
- Ben Eater (YouTube Channel)
- Phil’s Lab (YouTube Channel)
- Embedded Systems - Jacob Sorber (YouTube Playlist)
- edX - Embedded Systems - Shape The World: Microcontroller Input/Output
- edX - Embedded Systems - Shape The World: Multi-Threaded Interfacing
- Keil MDK & µVision
- IAR Embedded Workbench
- STM32CubeIDE
- Microchip Studio for AVR® and SAM Devices
- MPLAB® X IDE
- MCUXpresso IDE
PlatformIO is a cross-platform, cross-architecture, multiple framework, professional tool for embedded systems engineers and for software developers who write applications for embedded products.
PlatformIO is not yet extensively adopted in industrial and large-scale projects, however, it is an excellent choice for individuals working on smaller projects. This is because it greatly reduces the need to install frameworks and setup build and debug tools, allowing you to concentrate on programming.
If you do not have any background in programming the embedded systems, Arduino boards and libraries are the best choice for you to start and learn the basics. Just keep in mind that most of the Arduino libraries are developed for learning purposes and are not optimized to be used in industry.
Additionally, the Arduino Core takes care of most of the low-level operations and manipulation of registers that you, as an embedded engineer, should be able to handle yourself. If you want to become a professional embedded developer, you must be able to effectively use industry-standard APIs and frameworks provided and approved by microcontroller vendors. For example, CMSIS for ARM Cortex, STM32Cube for STM32, ESP-IDF for Espressif microcontrollers, etc.
- Getting Started with Arduino
- New Arduino Tutorials (YouTube Playlist)
- Arduino in a commercial product?
- Arduino Project to Product (YouTube Playlist)
- DeepBlueMbedded
- 💎 Interrupt Blog by Memfault
- ElectronicWings - Hardware Developers Community
- Microchip University
- Nordic Developer Academy
- Electronics Tutorials
- SparkFun Learn: Learn at SparkFun Electronics
- Adafruit Learning System
- STM32 World
- Random Nerd Tutorials | Learn ESP32, ESP8266, Arduino, and Raspberry Pi
- ControllersTech
- ElectronicWings Projects
- STM32 Firmware - Phil’s Lab (YouTube Playlist)
- Udemy – STM32 : Internet Of Things with 4G LTE Modem - Hardware
Some of the resources mentioned here will just be used as references. Refer to them only when you need them.
Symbols Guide:
👶 indicates easy-to-understand and beginner-friendly resources. Refer to them if you do not have prior knowledge in a topic.
💎 indicates well-known references that have truly invaluable and comprehensive content. Refer to them if you want to deepen your understanding of a topic.
- 👶 💎 Electronics Tutorials
- 👶 Lessons in Electric Circuits
- 👶 💎 Fundamentals of Electric Circuits - Charles K. Alexander, Matthew Sadiku
- 👶 💎 Principles of Electric Circuits: Conventional Current Version - Thomas L Floyd, David M. Buchla
- 💎 Basic Circuit Theory I (By Prof. Razavi) (YouTube Playlist)
- 👶 Electronic Basics - GreatScott! (YouTube Playlist)
- 👶 Make: Electronics: Learning by Discovery - Charles Platt
- 👶 💎 Electronic Devices: Conventional Current Version - Thomas Floyd, David Buchla, Steven Wetterling
- 👶 💎 Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices & Applications - Thomas L Floyd, David M. Buchla, Gary D. Snyder
- 👶 Practical Electronics for Inventors - Paul Scherz, Simon Monk
- 💎 The Art of Electronics - Paul Horowitz, Winfield Hill
- Here’s a Quick Way to Know about Major Electronic Components
- Encyclopedia of Electronic Components - Charles Platt
- 👶 Tiny Tapeout > Digital Design Guide
- 👶 FPGA Fundamentals - Nandland
- 💎 Digital Design - Morris Mano, Michael Ciletti
- 👶 💎 Digital Design and Computer Architecture: ARM Edition - Sarah Harris, David Harris
- 👶 💎 Digital Design and Computer Architecture: RISC-V Edition - Sarah Harris, David Harris
- 👶 Digital Fundamentals - Thomas L. Floyd
- 👶 💎 Computer Organization and Design: ARM Edition - David A. Patterson, John L. Hennessy
- 👶 💎 Digital Design and Computer Architecture: ARM Edition - Sarah Harris, David Harris
- 👶 💎 Digital Design and Computer Architecture: RISC-V Edition - Sarah Harris, David Harris
- Computer Organization and Embedded Systems - Carl Hamacher, Zvonko Vranesic, Safwat Zaky, Naraig Manjikian
- Embedded Systems Architecture - Tammy Noergaard
- The Definitive Guide to ARM® Cortex®-M0 and Cortex-M0+ Processors - Joseph Yiu
- The Definitive Guide to ARM® Cortex®-M3 and Cortex®-M4 Processors - Joseph Yiu
- Build an 8-bit computer from scratch
- Embedded Systems Architecture - Daniele Lacamera
- 👶 What’s an OSCILLOSCOPE?
- 👶 How to Use an Oscilloscope
- 👶 How to use an oscilloscope / What is an oscilloscope / Oscilloscope tutorial
- Understanding EMI Debugging with Oscilloscopes
- 👶 Hardware Design - Phil’s Lab (YouTube Playlist)
- Electronic Circuit Design - IFE - TU Graz (YouTube Playlist)
- Microcontroller-Based Hardware Design With Altium Designer (YouTube Playlist)
- Altium Academy YouTube Channel
- Robert Feranec YouTube Channel
- 👶 Altium Tutorials for Beginners - Robert Feranec (YouTube Playlist)
- 👶 Create PCBs for Rapid Prototyping - DigiKey (YouTube Playlist)
- How to Make a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 Carrier Board - DigiKey (YouTube Playlist)
- How To Learn PCB Design (My Thoughts, Journey, and Resources) - Phil's Lab #87
- 👶 KiCad 6 STM32 PCB Design Full Tutorial - Phil's Lab #65
- 👶 Intro to KiCad - DigiKey (YouTube Playlist)
- PCB Design for EMI & SI - Phil's Lab #64
- PCB Design for Advanced Users (YouTube Playlist)
- 9 Simple Tricks to Improve EMC / EMI on Your Boards - Practical examples (with Min Zhang)
- Many EMC Tips to Help You Design Better PCB Boards (with Keith Armstrong)
- LearnEMC - EMC Resources
- 👶 How To Solder - Electronics with Becky Stern | Digi-Key Electronics
- 👶 HOW TO SOLDER! (Beginner's Guide)
- 👶 Soldering Crash Course: Basic Techniques, Tips and Advice!
- How to Solder Through-Hole Components - Another Teaching Moment | DigiKey Electronics
- How to Solder QFN MLF Package by Hand (Using a Hot Air Rework Station) | Digi-Key Electronics
- From Solderless Breadboard to Soldered Circuit - Electronics with Becky Stern | Digi-Key Electronics
- FPGA vs. Microcontroller: How to choose the right one for your project
- Introduction to FPGA (YouTube Playlist)
- FPGA Fundamentals - Nandland
- Udemy – FPGA Embedded Design, Part 1 - Verilog
- Udemy – FPGA Embedded Design, Part 2 - Basic FPGA Training
- Udemy – FPGA Embedded Design, Part 3 - EDA Tools
- Udemy – FPGA Embedded Design, Part 4 - Microprocessor Design
- 💎 A Hands-On Guide to Designing Embedded Systems - Adam Taylor, Dan Binnun, Saket Srivastava
- What is the software development life cycle?
- Embedded Product Development Life Cycle: Four Main Steps
- Does agile work with embedded software?
- Scrum for embedded software: Good – but for reasons other than what your manager thinks
- What Is Scrum: A Guide to the Most Popular Agile Framework
- Jira
- What Is the V-Model in Software Development?
- What Is the V Model and How Can It Improve Your Development?
- 👶 💎 Grokking Algorithms - Aditya Y. Bhargava
- 💎 Introduction to Algorithms - Thomas H. Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson, Ronald L. Rivest and Clifford Stein
- Collection of various algorithms in mathematics, machine learning, computer science, physics, etc implemented in C for educational purposes
- Udemy – Embedded Systems State Machines & Data Structures
- Data Structures in C
- Data Structures - Full Course Using C and C++
- Practical Design Patterns: Opaque Pointers and Objects in C
- 💎 Design Patterns for Embedded Systems in C - Bruce Powel Douglass
- 💎 Making Embedded Systems: Design Patterns for Great Software - Elecia White
- Programming embedded systems the easy way – with state machines
- State Machines (YouTube Playlist)
- Event-Driven Programming (YouTube Playlist)
- Embedded System Design using UML State Machines
- Understanding the C runtime memory model
- Dynamic Memory Allocation | C Programming Tutorial
- What is Memory Leak in C/C++? How can we avoid?
- 👶 W3Schools C Tutorial
- 👶 C Programming for Beginners | Full Course
- C Programming Tutorials (YouTube Playlist)
- 💎 The C Programming Language - Brian W. Kernighan, Dennis M. Ritchie
- newlib C Library Documentation
- The GNU C Library (glibc)
- C How to Program - Paul Deitel, Harvey Deitel
- Effective C - An Introduction to Professional C Programming - Robert C. Seacord
- From Zero to main(): Bare metal C
- From Zero to main(): Bootstrapping libc with Newlib
- Modern C++ in Embedded Development: (Don't Fear) The ++
- C++ On Embedded Systems
- 👶 C++ Tutorial for Beginners - Full Course
- C++ by The Cherno (YouTube Playlist)
- 👶 Introduction to ARM Assembly Basics
- Udemy – ARM GNU Assembly Programming From Ground Up
- Assembly Language Programming with ARM – Full Tutorial for Beginners
- Python for embedded systems testing
- 👶 The Python Handbook – Learn Python for Beginners
- 💎 Real Python: Python Tutorials
- 👶 💎 Python Crash Course - Eric Matthes
- MicroPython - Python for microcontrollers
- MicroPython 101
- CircuitPython
- The Pros and Cons of Designing Embedded Systems with MicroPython
- 5 roadblocks to Rust adoption in embedded systems
- The Embedded Rust Book
- The Future of Programming: Rust (YouTube Playlist)
- Community Rust support projects for STM32 microcontrollers
- Rust on ESP Community
- Rust on STM32: Getting started
- From Zero to main(): Bare metal Rust
- Testing Zig for embedded development
- Zig Embedded Group
- MicroZig - Unified abstraction layer and HAL for several microcontrollers
- Zig Bare Metal Programming on STM32F103 — Booting up
- GCC and Make - Compiling, Linking and Building C/C++ Applications
- A Shallow Dive into GNU Make
- The Best and Worst GCC Compiler Flags For Embedded
- Building STM32 projects from scratch with cross platform tools like Make, CMake and arm-gcc compiler toolchain (YouTube Playlist)
- From Zero to main(): Demystifying Firmware Linker Scripts
- Bare Metal - From zero to blink
- Docker Docs
- 👶 Docker for Dummies
- Introduction to Docker for the Embedded Developer
- Intro to CI/CD Part 1: Getting Started with Docker | Digi-Key Electronics
- A Modern C Development Environment
- 👶 Git Tutorial for Beginners: Learn Git in 1 Hour
- Git for Professionals Tutorial - Tools & Concepts for Mastering Version Control with Git
- What Is a Microcontroller? The Defining Characteristics and Architecture of a Common Component
- How to Choose the Right Microcontroller for Your Application
- How to Read a Microcontroller Datasheet: Introduction and First Steps
- 👶 💎 Make: AVR Programming - Elliot Williams
- 💎 Mastering STM32 - Carmine Noviello
- Getting started with STM32: STM32 step-by-step
- Getting Started With AVR (YouTube Playlist)
- 👶 Fundamentals of Microcontrollers - Arduino bare-metal breakdown (YouTube Playlist)
- 👶 Getting Started with STM32 and Nucleo (YouTube Playlist)
- Bare Metal Embedded Programming: Theory and Practice Using STM32 (YouTube Playlist)
- Beginning STM32: Developing with FreeRTOS, libopencm3 and GCC - Warren Gay
- 👶 Intro to Raspberry Pi Pico and RP2040 (YouTube Playlist)
- Udemy – Microcontroller Embedded C Programming: Absolute Beginners
- Udemy – Embedded Systems STM32 Low-Layer APIs(LL) Driver Development
- Udemy – Embedded Systems STM32 HAL APIs Driver Development
- Embedded System Design with ARM Cortex-M Microcontrollers: Applications with C, C++ and MicroPython - Cem Ünsalan, Hüseyin Deniz Gürhan, Mehmet Erkin Yücel
- 💎 Embedded Systems Design using the MSP430FR2355 LaunchPad - Brock J. LaMeres
- Awesome Embedded: A curated list of awesome embedded programming
- 💎 Building Embedded Systems: Programmable Hardware - Changyi Gu
- Polling/Interrupt/DMA differences explained easily
- Level Up Your Arduino Code: External Interrupts
- Tutorial 10: Peripheral 2 - Nested Vector Interrupt controller (NVIC) in STM32
- Tutorial 11: LAB - External Interrupt ( EXTI ) Interfacing in STM32 using STM32CUBEMX
- Tutorial 12: Interrupt Priorities in STM32
- A Guide to Watchdog Timers for Embedded Systems
- The Watchdog Timer on Arduino
- WATCHDOGS in STM32 || IWDG and WWDG || CubeIDE
- Clock Configuration in STM32
- STM32: Change clock speed via registers
- #1. Intro to STM32F4 Register Based Programming || Clock Setup || LED Blinking || NO HAL
- Tutorial 8: MCU Clocks configuration in STM32 using STM32CUBEMX
- Clock sources and PLL in ARM Cortex M4
- Introduction to Direct Memory Access (DMA)
- STM32 DMA PT 1
- STM32 DMA PT 2
- Getting Started With STM32 & Nucleo Part 4: Working with ADC and DMA - Maker.io
- STM32 UART DMA and IDLE LINE || Receive unknown length DATA
- Basics to Developing Bootloader for Arduino
- From Zero to main(): How to Write a Bootloader from Scratch
- How to Create a Super Simple Bootloader
- Blinky To Bootloader: Bare Metal Programming Series (YouTube Playlist)
- Simple AVR Bootloader tutorial
- Udemy – STM32Fx Microcontroller Custom Bootloader Development
- SLEEP Mode in STM32F103 || CubeIDE || Low Power Mode || Current Consumption
- STOP MODE in STM32 || CubeIDE || Low Power Mode
- Microchip University - Introduction to Functional Safety
- Udemy – Functional Safety According to ISO 26262 - Crash Course
- A Guide to MISRA C Coding Standards - MISRA C and MISRA C++
- A Firmware Development Standard by Jack Ganssle
- Safety-critical Embedded systems: How to prepare for software development
- QEMU’s documentation
- Running AVR code in QEMU - A quick-start guide to accelerate AVR firmware development
- QEMU Simulation - Blinky - STM32F767ZI Full Stack
- Emulating a Raspberry Pi in QEMU
- Renode - GitHub Repo
- Renode - Documentation
- Renode - Official Tutorials
- Cortex-M MCU Emulation with Renode
- A simple guide to get started on renode
- Using CI-based workflow with Renode in bringing TensorFlow Lite to Zephyr
- Understanding UART
- how does UART work??? (explained clearly)
- Basics of UART Communication | UART Frame Structure | RS 232 Basics | Part1
- Understanding UART Communication Programming | UART Peripherals | Part 2
- The RS-232 protocol
- Understanding SPI
- SPI: The serial peripheral interface
- Getting Started with STM32 and Nucleo Part 5: How to Use SPI | Digi-Key Electronics
- SDIO Protocol
- Interface SD CARD with SDIO in STM32
- SDIO Card Slave Driver - ESP32 - Technical Documents
- MIPI I3C & MIPI I3C Basic
- I3C Protocol: Understanding and Debug
- MIPI I3C Basic - The next generation sensor interface enabling low-power IoT applications
- TI Precision Labs - Video Interface: What are HDMI & Dual-Mode DisplayPort?
- HDMI 2.1 & TMDS Crash Course - ENMU EET 457 - Presentation
- Bluetooth Basics
- Bluetooth Low Energy: A Primer
- A Practical Guide to BLE Throughput
- SparkFun According to Pete #49 - How Bluetooth Works
- Bluetooth Low Energy Fundamentals - Nordic Semiconductor
- Bluetooth Overview - ESP-IDF Programming Guide
- 802.11 How WiFi Works - Wireless Networks | Computer Networks Ep. 7.3 | Kurose & Ross
- 802.11 Frame Analysis
- Wi-Fi Driver - ESP-IDF Programming Guide
- ESP32 Set an Access Point (AP) using ESP-IDF
- ESP32 ESP-IDF Connect with WiFi – Station Mode Example
- The Arduino Guide to LoRa® and LoRaWAN®
- 💎 The Things Fundamentals on LoRaWAN!
- What are LoRa® and LoRaWAN®?
- #112 LoRa / LoRaWAN De-Mystified / Tutorial
- ESP32 with LoRa using Arduino IDE – Getting Started
- What is ZIGBEE And How It Works?
- How to take advantage of Zigbee and Bluetooth LE 5.2 on STM32WB wireless MCUs - Webinar Replay
- OpenThread - An open-source implementation of Thread®
- What is Thread? Low-power IoT Networking for Smart Home Devices | Digi-Key Electronics
- OpenThread - ESP-IDF Programming Guide
- What is Modbus and How does it Work?
- How does Modbus Communication Protocol Work?
- MODBUS STM32 (YouTube Playlist)
- #144 Internet Protocols: CoAP vs MQTT, Network Sniffing, and preparation for IKEA Tradfri Hacking
- MQTT vs. CoAP | Comparison of IoT Protocols
- Simple ESP32 IoT Sensor Node Tutorial: WiFi Enabled MQTT Sensor Data Node
- Cellular IoT Fundamentals - Nordic Semiconductor
- How the Ethernet Protocol Works – A Complete Guide
- What is an Ethernet PHY?
- The Data Link Layer, MAC Addressing, and the Ethernet Frame
- Training - USB 101 - Introduction to USB
- USB 101: An Introduction to Universal Serial Bus 2.0
- How does a USB keyboard work?
- How does USB device discovery work?
- MOOC - STM32 USB training (YouTube Playlist)
- CAN Bus: Serial Communication - How It Works?
- CAN Bus: A Beginners Guide Part 1
- CAN Bus: A Beginners Guide Part 2
- Improving my electric longboard with a CAN Bus! What can the CAN Bus do? EB#44
- CAN Bus, OBD2 & J1939 Explained (YouTube Playlist)
- J1939 Explained - A Simple Intro [v2.0 | 2021]
- Unified Diagnostic Services (UDS) Explained - A Simple Intro [2022]
- Networking Fundamentals - Practical Networking (YouTube Playlist)
- TCP vs UDP - Explaining Facts and Debunking Myths - TCP Masterclass
- TCP - 12 simple ideas to explain the Transmission Control Protocol
- UDP doesn't suck! It's the BEST L4 protocol for THESE types of applications...
- Networking tutorial - Ben Eater (YouTube Playlist)
- 💎 Hands-On Network Programming with C - Lewis Van Winkle
- tcpdump & libpcap libraries
- lwIP - A Lightweight TCP/IP stack
- lwIP (ESP-IDF)
- Developing applications on STM32Cube with LwIP TCP/IP stack
- QSPI in STM32 || Write and Read || N25Q
- QSPI in STM32 || Boot from EXT Memory || XIP || N25Q
- Flash Memory in Embedded Linux Systems
- SRAM vs DRAM: Difference Between SRAM & DRAM Explained
- What is SRAM?
- SDRAM Hardware & Firmware Tutorial (STM32) - Phil's Lab #80
- SDRAM in STM32 || MT48LC4
- Calibrating Sensors
- DHT11 vs DHT22 vs LM35 vs DS18B20 vs BME280 vs BMP180
- Getting Started With STM32 and Nucleo Part 2: How to Use I2C to Read Temperature Sensor TMP102
- GPS Module and STM32 || NEO 6M || Get coordinates, Date, Time, Speed, etc.
- Interface MPU6050/GY-521 with STM32 || LCD 20x4 || CubeMx || HAL || SW4STM
- Arduino with PIR Motion Sensor
- Complete Guide for Ultrasonic Sensor HC-SR04 with Arduino
- Electronic Basics #15: Temperature Measurement (Part 1) || NTC, PT100, Wheatstone Bridge
- Adafruit Motor Selection Guide
- DC Motor Speed Controller PWM With Potentiometer Using STM32
- All About Stepper Motors
- Using Servos With CircuitPython and Arduino
- Electronic Basics #25: Servos and how to use them
- Electronic Basics #24: Stepper Motors and how to use them
- Electronic Basics #18: DC & Brushless DC Motor + ESC
- 👶 Putting the “You” in CPU
- 💎 Operating Systems: Three Easy Pieces - Remzi H Arpaci-Dusseau, Andrea C Arpaci-Dusseau
- Modern Operating Systems - Andrew S. Tanenbaum, Herbert Bos
- FreeRTOS vs Linux for Embedded Systems
- Linux Basics (LPIC 1)
- 👶 Introduction to Embedded Linux (YouTube Playlist)
- Mastering Embedded Linux Series - George Hilliard's blog
- 💎 Mastering Embedded Linux Programming - Chris Simmonds
- Linux From Scratch - step-by-step instructions for building your own custom Linux system
- Automotive Grade Linux (AGL)
- The Linux Kernel - David A Rusling
- 💎 The Linux Programming Interface - Michael Kerrisk
- How Linux Works - Brian Ward
- Practical System Programming with C: Pragmatic Example Applications in Linux and Unix-Based Operating Systems - Sri Manikanta Palakollu
- 💎 Linux Device Drivers - Jonathan Corbet, Alessandro Rubini, Greg Kroah-Hartman
- Mastering Linux Device Driver Development - John Madieu
- 💎 Yocto Project Documentation
- Introduction to Embedded Linux Part 2 - Yocto Project | Digi-Key Electronics
- Yocto Project Tutorial Series (Basic to Advance) (YouTube Playlist)
- Udemy – Embedded Linux using Yocto
- 💎 Embedded Linux Systems with the Yocto Project - Rudolf J.Streif
- Embedded Linux Development using Yocto Project Cookbook - Alex Gonzalez
- Threading/Concurrency vs Parallelism
- Multi-threading and Parallel Programming
- Multitasking vs Multithreading vs Multiprocessing
- 💎 Programming with POSIX Threads - David Butenhof
- Parallel Programming and Performance Optimization With OpenMP
- Introduction to OpenMP - Tim Mattson (Intel) (YouTube Playlist)
- OpenCL Tutorials
- CUDA C++ Programming Guide
- C++ Concurrency in Action - Anthony Williams
- Inter Process Communication (IPC)
- What Is Inter-Process Communication In Linux?
- Udemy – Linux Inter Process Communication (IPC) from Scratch in C
- Udemy – Multi-Threading and IPC with Qt 5 C++
- Bare-metal and RTOS Based Embedded Systems
- RTOS vs. Bare Metal: Navigating Performance, Complexity, and Efficiency
- The Pros and Cons of RTOS vs Bare Metal: Which Will You Choose?
- FreeRTOS vs Linux for Embedded Systems
- Real-Time Systems Concepts
- RTOS Fundamentals
- A Simple Scheduler via an Interrupt-driven Actor Model
- ARM Cortex-M RTOS Context Switching
- RTOS (YouTube Playlist)
- Beyond the RTOS (YouTube Playlist)
- FreeRTOS - Market leading RTOS
- 👶 Introduction to RTOS (YouTube Playlist)
- Mastering the FreeRTOS Real Time Kernel - a Hands On Tutorial Guide
- Getting Started With STM32 and Nucleo Part 3: FreeRTOS - How To Run Multiple Threads w/ CMSIS-RTOS
- Hands-On RTOS with Microcontrollers: Building real-time embedded systems using FreeRTOS, STM32 MCUs, and SEGGER debug tools - Brian Amos
- Beginning STM32: Developing with FreeRTOS, libopencm3 and GCC - Warren Gay
- SafeRTOS - Safety Critical Real-Time OS
- Zephyr® Project
- Why We Moved from FreeRTOS to Zephyr RTOS
- nRF Connect SDK
- ESP32 on Zephyr OS (YouTube Playlist)
- Micriμm OS
- µC/OS-III Documentation
- µC/OS-III Books
- 💎 µC/OS-II Documentation (Previously published as a book titled "MicroC/OS-II: The Real-Time Kernel")
- NuttX - The Apache Software Foundation
- NuttX Documentation
- Getting Started to NuttX (YouTube Playlist)
- RT-Thread | An Open Source Embedded Real-time Operating System
- RT-Thread document center
- RT-Thread Beginners Guide (YouTube Playlist)
- VxWorks | Industry Leading RTOS for Embedded Systems
- VxWorks Documentation
- VxWORKS-RTOS - Kumar M (YouTube Playlist)
- Azure RTOS - Making embedded IoT development and connectivity easy
- Microsoft Azure RTOS documentation
- Azure RTOS ThreadX
- 💎 The Scientist and Engineer's Guide to Digital Signal Processing - Steven W. Smith
- FIR Filter Design and Software Implementation - Phil's Lab #17
- IIR Filters - Theory and Implementation (STM32) - Phil's Lab #32
- Digital Signal Processing (ECSE-4530) Lectures, Fall 2014 (YouTube Playlist)
- Udemy – Digital Signal Processing (DSP) From Ground Up in C
- Real-Time Digital Signal Processing: Fundamentals, Implementations and Applications - Sen M. Kuo, Bob H. Lee, Wenshun Tian
- Real-Time Digital Signal Processing from MATLAB to C with the TMS320C6x DSPs - Thad B. Welch, Cameron H.G. Wright, Michael G. Morrow
- Schaum's Outline of Signals and Systems - Hwei P. Hsu
- 💎 Digital Signal Processing - John G. Proakis, Dimitris K. Manolakis
- Discrete Fourier Transform - Simple Step by Step
- The Fast Fourier Transform (FFT): Most Ingenious Algorithm Ever?
- The FFT Algorithm - Simple Step by Step
- STM32 Fast Fourier Transform (CMSIS DSP FFT) - Phil's Lab #111
- Understanding Control Systems (YouTube Playlist)
- Control Systems - CircuitBread (YouTube Playlist)
- What is a PID Controller? | DigiKey
- PID Controller Explained
- Understanding PID Control (YouTube Playlist)
- PID Controller Implementation in Software - Phil's Lab #6
- 💎 Control Systems Engineering - Norman S. Nise
- 💎 Modern Control Systems - Richard C. Dorf, Robert H. Bishop
- MATLAB Tutorials: Getting Started with MATLAB (YouTube Playlist)
- Getting Started with Simulink (YouTube Playlist)
- Udemy – MATLAB/SIMULINK Bible|Go From Zero to Hero!
- A Deep Dive into ARM Cortex-M Debug Interfaces
- Guide: Connecting your debugger
- STM32 + SWD + ST-Link + CubeIDE | Debugging on Custom Hardware Tutorial - Phil's Lab #4
- Advanced GDB Usage
- How do breakpoints even work?
- GNU GDB Debugger Command Cheat Sheet
- gdbgui - A browser-based frontend to gdb (gnu debugger)
- everyone needs to stop using print debugging (do THIS instead)
- GDB is REALLY easy! Find Bugs in Your Code with Only A Few Commands
- Introduction to ARM Semihosting
- OpenOCD - GitHub repository
- This Is 100% How You Should Be Debugging | How to Use OpenOCD to Debug Embedded Software with GDB
- Embedded Testing
- What is Embedded Testing in Software Testing?
- Verification vs Validation in Embedded Software
- Testing: Unit VS Integration VS Regression VS Acceptance
- Firmware Testing with Renode and GitHub Actions
- Balancing Test Coverage vs. Overhead
- 💎 Test Driven Development for Embedded C - James Grenning
- Unit Testing for C (especially Embedded Software)
- GoogleTest - Google Testing and Mocking Framework
- Embedded C/C++ Unit Testing with Mocks
- Unit Testing Principles, Practices, and Patterns - Vladimir Khorikov
- Hardware CI Arena
- Exclave: Hardware Testing in Mass Production, Made Easier
- Regression Testing of Embedded Systems
- Intro to CI/CD Part 1: Getting Started with Docker | Digi-Key Electronics
- Intro to CI/CD Part 2: Getting Started with GitHub Actions | Digi-Key Electronics
- How to Build a Continuous Integration and Delivery Process for Embedded Software
- Continuous Integration & Continuous Delivery for Embedded Systems (Whitepaper)
- What is DevOps in an Embedded Device Company?
- Intro to Embedded Development: Styles and Standards
- Safety Standards and Certifications for Embedded Systems Development
- Microchip University - An Introduction To The ISA/IEC 62443 Standard
- Udemy – Getting Started with Embedded AI | Edge AI
- Intro to Edge AI: Machine Learning + IoT – Maker.io Tutorial | Digi-Key Electronics
- A beginner's guide to artificial intelligence and machine learning
- 👶 Introduction to Machine Learning for Coders!
- Machine Learning Crash Course with TensorFlow APIs - Google
- Getting Started with TensorFlow and Keras – Maker.io | Digi-Key Electronics
- Intro to TensorFlow Lite Part 1: Wake Word Feature Extraction – Maker.io | Digi-Key Electronics
- Intro to TensorFlow Lite Part 2: Speech Recognition Model Training – Maker.io | Digi-Key Electronics
- 👶 Intro to TinyML Part 1: Training a Neural Network for Arduino in TensorFlow | Digi-Key Electronics
- 👶 Intro to TinyML Part 2: Deploying a TensorFlow Lite Model to Arduino | Digi-Key Electronics
- Coursera - Introduction to Embedded Machine Learning
- TinyML: Getting Started with TensorFlow Lite for Microcontrollers | Digi-Key Electronics
- TinyML: Getting Started with STM32 X-CUBE-AI | Digi-Key Electronics
- edX - Fundamentals of TinyML
- edX - Applications of TinyML
- edX - Deploying TinyML
- edX - MLOps for Scaling TinyML
- TinyML: Machine Learning with TensorFlow Lite on Arduino and Ultra-Low-Power Microcontrollers - Pete Warden, Daniel Situnayake
- 💎 Practical Hardware Pentesting - Jean-Georges Valle
- Hardware Hacking Tutorial (YouTube Playlist)
- 💎 The Hardware Hacking Handbook: Breaking Embedded Security with Hardware Attacks - Jasper van Woudenberg, Colin O'Flynn
- Microchip University - Cryptography Primer
- Hashing, Hashing Algorithms, and Collisions - Cryptography - Practical TLS
- Data Integrity - How Hashing is used to ensure data isn't modified - HMAC - Cryptography
- Encryption - Symmetric Encryption vs Asymmetric Encryption - Cryptography - Practical TLS
- Public and Private Keys - Signatures & Key Exchanges - Cryptography - Practical TLS
- Understanding AES Encryption Mechanics: BMPS
- 💎 Understanding Cryptography: A Textbook for Students and Practitioners - Christof Paar, Jan Pelzl
- 💎 Handbook of Applied Cryptography - Alfred J. Menezes, Paul C. van Oorschot, Scott A. Vanstone
- Serious Cryptography: A Practical Introduction to Modern Encryption - Jean-Philippe Aumasson
- MOOC - Security Part2: Basics of cryptography (YouTube Playlist)
- MOOC - Security Part3 : STM32 security features (YouTube Playlist)
- Introduction to encryption for embedded Linux developers
- A hands-on approach to symmetric-key encryption
- Asymmetric-Key Encryption and Digital Signatures in Practice
- Device Firmware Update Cookbook
- Saving bandwidth with delta firmware updates
- AVR231: AES Bootloader
- Blinky To Bootloader: Bare Metal Programming Series (YouTube Playlist)
- MOOC - Security Part4 : STM32 security in practice (YouTube Playlist)
- MOOC - Security Part5 : How to define your security needs (YouTube Playlist)
- MOOC - Security Part6: STM32 security ecosystem, from theory to practice (YouTube Playlist)
- TPM (Trusted Platform Module) - Computerphile
- Securing Embedded Linux Systems with TPM 2.0 - Philip Tricca, Intel
- TPM: Basic applications to embedded devices
- OTA for Embedded Linux Devices: A practical introduction
- Introduction to Embedded Linux Security - part 1
- Introduction to Embedded Linux Security - part 2
The idea of creating this roadmap came from vazeri / Embedded-Engineering-RoadMap-2018 which was well designed but had some flaws and not updated for years. I took that idea, changed the structure of the roadmap and tried to improve it. The initial results can be accessed in m3y54m / Embedded-Engineering-Roadmap-Archived which is now archived. Early versions of the roadmap were created using Balsamiq Wireframes which is not suitable for these types of diagrams. So I decided to use Microsoft Visio instead and redrew the whole diagram.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License which means that you are free to share or adapt this work under the following terms:
Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.
Special thanks to my friends in the community of Iranian Embedded Engineers in Twitter and r/embedded subreddit for their suggestions that helped in improving this roadmap.
If you think that this roadmap can be improved in anyway or you know about some good learning resources that can be added here, please start an issue or a pull request. I’ll be maintaining and updating this repository frequently.
The source file is created using Microsoft Visio in .vsdx format and included in this repository for your contributions. If you do not have Microsoft Visio or you want to use free software, you can use draw.io which can import and export .vsdx files.