Bare-Metal Embedded C Programming: Develop high-performance embedded systems with C for Arm microcontrollers

I've been away from the Arm for a few years so I wanted up to date reference, this works.I like the fact that it focuses on C because I find that is the best in mission critical targets. I've done about 100 embedded industrial products. STM32 M4 is used in the examples but I don't care. All of the code is on GitHub that's nice too. It's also a low cost, I paid $24.

Excellent book

For many developers, firmware is a given, constraints that must be obeyed in production software. “Bare-Metal Computing with C++” (Packt, 2025) by Israel Gbati demonstrates, at a fundamental level, how coding firmware by directly activating system microcontrollers should be merely another step in the production process. The advantage is that firmware directly interacts with hardware without being abstracted by third parties. As we all seek to maximize operational efficiency, if we don’t understand the firmware beneath the code, one might lack awareness. The book consists of 18 chapters, starting with the basics, then discussing timers and system peripherals, before briefly touching on power management. I recommend this for any developer looking to extract the maximum performance from their coding.The writing demonstrates comprehensive code samples, microcontroller pictures, and carefully guides the user from one element to the next. The text focus on the Nucleo-F411 board, STM32CubeIDE, and the GNU ARM embedded tool chain with OpenOCD packages. The first steps are identifying the board, working with a datasheet, and connecting to initial peripherals. The first experiment details connecting a LED light with firmware to allow turning a function on and off.After acquiring those basic skills, the following chapters discuss developing Linker scripts to affect hardware memory through multiple formats. This aligns with a later chapter that discusses managing firmware without ever touching the CPU. Building on the General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) pins utilizes the Common Microcontroller Software Interface Standard (CMSIS) to provide consistency and standards. Each possibility is identified with comprehensive charts demonstrating what is needed, where the pin physically exists, and the connection opportunity.The book’s majority illustrates various types of timers, peripherals, and communication techniques to manage firmware. Timers are essential in describing when events must happen and controlling events between hardware, firmware, and code. Timing cues then lead to managing communication, ensuring firmware items not just have valuable items but can communicate between multiple levels. As a simple example, the book looks at audio to digital converters. in your common use, think about recording on a microphone and converting to the appropriate code. Managing these conversions at the firmware level can create additional CPU space for other functions. The author also addresses communication between firmware elements, making it not just a one-time event, but a fully integrated computer system.Overall, “Bare-Metal Computing with C++” (Packt, 2025) is a comprehensive introduction, reference, and learning guide to undertaking firmware coding. The book covers a wide range of topics, has wonderful architecture diagrams as well as microcontroller images, and includes some of the most comprehensive coding samples I have seen. Each action is carefully referenced and the author explains every code section in the text, allowing the reader to not just replicate but to understand the work. I recommend the book for anyone with any interest in firmware coding or those looking to take their software skills to the next level.

Title: Essential Guide to Microcontroller Firmware DevelopmentRating: ★★★★★Review:This book is a great resource for both newcomers and seasoned developers in firmware development. It explains complex concepts like decoding microcontroller datasheets and mastering register manipulations in an accessible manner. The exercises on creating bare-metal drivers for various interfaces are particularly helpful, providing practical experience. Additionally, the focus on designing energy-efficient systems is both timely and crucial. Highly recommended for anyone looking to improve their firmware development skills.

I found this book very helpful and easy to understand. It shows you how to work with Arm microcontrollers using C without relying on many extra libraries. The author explains how to read datasheets and manipulate registers in a simple way. I liked the practical exercises that helped to build real firmware from scratch. The chapters are clear and the step-by-step instructions made learning fun. It is a great resource for anyone starting with bare-metal embedded programming. Overall, this book boosted my confidence in writing optimized code.