Flash & Debug Host Tools - Zephyr

.. _flash-debug-host-tools:

Flash & Debug Host Tools ########################

This guide describes the software tools you can run on your host workstation to flash and debug Zephyr applications.

Zephyr's west tool has built-in support for all of these in its flash, debug, debugserver, and attach commands, provided your board hardware supports them and your Zephyr board directory's :file:board.cmake file declares that support properly. See :ref:west-build-flash-debug for more information on these commands.

.. _runner_blackmagicprobe:

Black Magic Probe

Black Magic Probe (BMP) is an open-source debugging hardware incorporating GDB debug server functionality into the firmware. There is no need for a GDB server program, so there is no program equivalent to host-tool.

For more details, including usage instructions and supported targets, see :ref:black-magic-probe.

.. _atmel_sam_ba_bootloader: .. _runner_bossac:

SAM Boot Assistant (SAM-BA)

Atmel SAM Boot Assistant (Atmel SAM-BA) allows In-System Programming (ISP) from USB or UART host without any external programming interface. Zephyr allows users to develop and program boards with SAM-BA support using :ref:west <west-flashing>. Zephyr supports devices with/without ROM bootloader and both extensions from Arduino and Adafruit. Full support was introduced in Zephyr SDK 0.12.0.

The typical command to flash the board is:

.. code-block:: console

west flash [ -r bossac ] [ -p /dev/ttyX ] [ --erase ]

.. note::

By default, flashing with bossac will only erase the flash pages containing
the flashed application, leaving other pages untouched. Should you wish to
erase the entire flash of the target when flashing, pass the ``--erase``
parameter when flashing.

Flash configuration for devices:

.. tabs::

.. tab:: With ROM bootloader

    These devices don't need any special configuration.  After building your
    application, just run ``west flash`` to flash the board.

.. tab:: Without ROM bootloader

    For these devices, the user should:

    1. Define flash partitions required to accommodate the bootloader and
       application image; see :ref:`flash_map_api` for details.
    2. Have board :file:`.defconfig` file with the
       :kconfig:option:`CONFIG_USE_DT_CODE_PARTITION` Kconfig option set to ``y`` to
       instruct the build system to use these partitions for code relocation.
       This option can also be set in ``prj.conf`` or any other Kconfig fragment.
    3. Build and flash the SAM-BA bootloader on the device.

.. tab:: With compatible SAM-BA bootloader

    For these devices, the user should:

    1. Define flash partitions required to accommodate the bootloader and
       application image; see :ref:`flash_map_api` for details.
    2. Have board :file:`.defconfig` file with the
       :kconfig:option:`CONFIG_BOOTLOADER_BOSSA` Kconfig option set to ``y``.  This will
       automatically select the :kconfig:option:`CONFIG_USE_DT_CODE_PARTITION` Kconfig
       option which instruct the build system to use these partitions for code
       relocation.  The board :file:`.defconfig` file should have
       :kconfig:option:`CONFIG_BOOTLOADER_BOSSA_ARDUINO` ,
       :kconfig:option:`CONFIG_BOOTLOADER_BOSSA_ADAFRUIT_UF2` or the
       :kconfig:option:`CONFIG_BOOTLOADER_BOSSA_LEGACY` Kconfig option set to ``y``
       to select the right compatible SAM-BA bootloader mode.
       These options can also be set in ``prj.conf`` or any other Kconfig fragment.
    3. Build and flash the SAM-BA bootloader on the device.

.. note::

The :kconfig:option:`CONFIG_BOOTLOADER_BOSSA_LEGACY` Kconfig option should be used
as last resource.  Try configure first with Devices without ROM bootloader.

Typical flash layout and configuration

For bootloaders that reside on flash, the devicetree partition layout is mandatory. For devices that have a ROM bootloader, they are mandatory when the application uses a storage or other non-application partition. In this special case, the boot partition should be omitted and code_partition should start from offset 0. It is necessary to define the partitions with sizes that avoid overlaps, always.

A typical flash layout for devices without a ROM bootloader is:

.. code-block:: devicetree

/ {
	chosen {
		zephyr,code-partition = &code_partition;
	};
};

&flash0 {
	partitions {
		compatible = "fixed-partitions";
		#address-cells = <1>;
		#size-cells = <1>;

		boot_partition: partition@0 {
			label = "sam-ba";
			reg = <0x00000000 0x2000>;
			read-only;
		};

		code_partition: partition@2000 {
			label = "code";
			reg = <0x2000 0x3a000>;
			read-only;
		};

		/*
		* The final 16 KiB is reserved for the application.
		* Storage partition will be used by FCB/LittleFS/NVS
		* if enabled.
		*/
		storage_partition: partition@3c000 {
			label = "storage";
			reg = <0x0003c000 0x00004000>;
		};
	};
};

A typical flash layout for devices with a ROM bootloader and storage partition is:

.. code-block:: devicetree

/ {
	chosen {
		zephyr,code-partition = &code_partition;
	};
};

&flash0 {
	partitions {
		compatible = "fixed-partitions";
		#address-cells = <1>;
		#size-cells = <1>;

		code_partition: partition@0 {
			label = "code";
			reg = <0x0 0xF0000>;
			read-only;
		};

		/*
		* The final 64 KiB is reserved for the application.
		* Storage partition will be used by FCB/LittleFS/NVS
		* if enabled.
		*/
		storage_partition: partition@F0000 {
			label = "storage";
			reg = <0x000F0000 0x00100000>;
		};
	};
};

Enabling SAM-BA runner

In order to instruct Zephyr west tool to use the SAM-BA bootloader the :file:board.cmake file must have include(${ZEPHYR_BASE}/boards/common/bossac.board.cmake) entry. Note that Zephyr tool accept more entries to define multiple runners. By default, the first one will be selected when using west flash command. The remaining options are available passing the runner option, for instance west flash -r bossac.

More implementation details can be found in the :ref:boards documentation. As a quick reference, see these three board documentation pages:

:zephyr:board:sam4e_xpro (ROM bootloader)
:zephyr:board:adafruit_feather_m0_basic_proto (Adafruit UF2 bootloader)
:zephyr:board:arduino_nano_33_iot (Arduino bootloader)
:zephyr:board:arduino_nano_33_ble (Arduino legacy bootloader)

Enabling BOSSAC on Windows Native [Experimental]

Zephyr SDK´s bossac is currently supported on Linux and macOS only. Windows support can be achieved by using the bossac version from BOSSA official releases_. After installing using default options, the :file:bossac.exe must be added to Windows PATH. A specific bossac executable can be used by passing the --bossac option, as follows:

.. code-block:: console

west flash -r bossac --bossac="C:\Program Files (x86)\BOSSA\bossac.exe" --bossac-port="COMx"

.. note::

WSL is not currently supported.

.. _linkserver-debug-host-tools: .. _runner_linkserver:

LinkServer Debug Host Tools

Linkserver is a utility for launching and managing GDB servers for NXP debug probes, which also provides a command-line target flash programming capabilities. Linkserver can be used with the NXP MCUXpresso for Visual Studio Code_ implementation, with custom debug configurations based on GNU tools or as part of a headless solution for continuous integration and test. LinkServer can be used with MCU-Link, LPC-Link2, LPC11U35-based and OpenSDA based standalone or on-board debug probes from NXP.

NXP recommends installing LinkServer by using NXP's MCUXpresso Installer_. This method will also install the tools supporting the debug probes below, including NXP's MCU-Link and LPCScrypt tools.

LinkServer is compatible with the following debug probes:

:ref:lpclink2-cmsis-onboard-debug-probe
:ref:mcu-link-cmsis-onboard-debug-probe
:ref:opensda-daplink-onboard-debug-probe

To use LinkServer with West commands, the install folder should be added to the :envvar:PATH :ref:environment variable <env_vars>. The default installation path to add is:

.. tabs::

.. group-tab:: Linux

  .. code-block:: console

     /usr/local/LinkServer

.. group-tab:: macOS

  .. code-block:: console

     /Applications/LinkServer_<version>

.. group-tab:: Windows

  .. code-block:: console

     c:\nxp\LinkServer_<version>

Supported west commands:

flash #. debug #. debugserver #. attach

Notes:

Probes can be listed with LinkServer:

.. code-block:: console

LinkServer probes

With multiple debug probes attached to the host, use the LinkServer west runner --probe option to pass the probe index.

.. code-block:: console

west flash --runner=linkserver --probe=3

Device-specific settings can be overridden with the west runner for LinkServer with the option '--override'. May be used multiple times. The format is dictated by LinkServer, e.g.:

.. code-block:: console

west flash --runner=linkserver --override /device/memory/5/flash-driver=MIMXRT500_SFDP_MXIC_OSPI_S.cfx

LinkServer does not install an implicit breakpoint at the reset handler. If you would like to single step from the start of their application, you will need to add a breakpoint at main or the reset handler manually.

.. _jlink-debug-host-tools: .. _runner_jlink:

J-Link Debug Host Tools

Segger provides a suite of debug host tools for Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems:

J-Link GDB Server: GDB remote debugging
J-Link Commander: Command-line control and flash programming
RTT Viewer: RTT terminal input and output
SystemView: Real-time event visualization and recording

These debug host tools are compatible with the following debug probes:

:ref:lpclink2-jlink-onboard-debug-probe
:ref:opensda-jlink-onboard-debug-probe
:ref:mcu-link-jlink-onboard-debug-probe
:ref:jlink-external-debug-probe
:ref:stlink-v21-onboard-debug-probe

Check if your SoC is listed in J-Link Supported Devices_.

Download and install the J-Link Software and Documentation Pack_ to get the J-Link GDB Server and Commander, and to install the associated USB device drivers. RTT Viewer and SystemView can be downloaded separately, but are not required.

Note that the J-Link GDB server does not yet support Zephyr RTOS-awareness.

.. _openocd-debug-host-tools: .. _runner_openocd:

OpenOCD Debug Host Tools

OpenOCD is a community open source project that provides GDB remote debugging and flash programming support for a wide range of SoCs. A fork that adds Zephyr RTOS-awareness is included in the Zephyr SDK; otherwise see Getting OpenOCD_ for options to download OpenOCD from official repositories.

These debug host tools are compatible with the following debug probes:

:ref:opensda-daplink-onboard-debug-probe
:ref:jlink-external-debug-probe
:ref:stlink-v21-onboard-debug-probe

Check if your SoC is listed in OpenOCD Supported Devices_.

.. note:: On Linux, openocd is available though the Zephyr SDK <https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/sdk-ng/releases>_. Windows users should use the following steps to install openocd:

Download openocd for Windows from here: OpenOCD Windows_
Copy bin and share dirs to C:\Program Files\OpenOCD\
Add C:\Program Files\OpenOCD\bin to 'PATH' environment variable

.. _pyocd-debug-host-tools: .. _runner_pyocd:

pyOCD Debug Host Tools

pyOCD is an open source project from Arm that provides GDB remote debugging and flash programming support for Arm Cortex-M SoCs. It is distributed on PyPi and installed when you complete the :ref:gs_python_deps step in the Getting Started Guide. pyOCD includes support for Zephyr RTOS-awareness.

These debug host tools are compatible with the following debug probes:

:ref:lpclink2-cmsis-onboard-debug-probe
:ref:mcu-link-cmsis-onboard-debug-probe
:ref:opensda-daplink-onboard-debug-probe
:ref:stlink-v21-onboard-debug-probe

Check if your SoC is listed in pyOCD Supported Devices_.

.. _lauterbach-trace32-debug-host-tools: .. _runner_trace32:

Lauterbach TRACE32 Debug Host Tools

Lauterbach TRACE32_ is a product line of microprocessor development tools, debuggers and real-time tracer with support for JTAG, SWD, NEXUS or ETM over multiple core architectures, including Arm Cortex-A/-R/-M, RISC-V, Xtensa, etc. Zephyr allows users to develop and program boards with Lauterbach TRACE32 support using :ref:west <west-flashing>.

The runner consists of a wrapper around TRACE32 software, and allows a Zephyr board to execute a custom start-up script (Practice Script) for the different commands supported, including the ability to pass extra arguments from CMake. Is up to the board using this runner to define the actions performed on each command.

Install Lauterbach TRACE32 Software

Download Lauterbach TRACE32 software from the Lauterbach TRACE32 download website_ (registration required) and follow the installation steps described in Lauterbach TRACE32 Installation Guide_.

Flashing and Debugging

Set the :ref:environment variable <env_vars> :envvar:T32_DIR to the TRACE32 system directory. Then execute west flash or west debug commands to flash or debug the Zephyr application as detailed in :ref:west-build-flash-debug. The debug command launches TRACE32 GUI to allow debug the Zephyr application, while the flash command hides the GUI and perform all operations in the background.

By default, the t32 runner will launch TRACE32 using the default configuration file named config.t32 located in the TRACE32 system directory. To use a different configuration file, supply the argument --config CONFIG to the runner, for example:

.. code-block:: console

west flash --config myconfig.t32

For more options, run west flash --context -r t32 to print the usage.

Zephyr RTOS Awareness

To enable Zephyr RTOS awareness follow the steps described in Lauterbach TRACE32 Zephyr OS Awareness Manual_.

.. _nxp-s32-debug-host-tools: .. _runner_nxp_s32dbg:

NXP S32 Debug Probe Host Tools

:ref:nxp-s32-debug-probe is designed to work in conjunction with NXP S32 Design Studio for S32 Platform_.

Download (registration required) NXP S32 Design Studio for S32 Platform and follow the S32 Design Studio for S32 Platform Installation User Guide_ to get the necessary debug host tools and associated USB device drivers.

Note that Zephyr RTOS-awareness support for the NXP S32 GDB server depends on the target device. Consult the product release notes for more information.

Supported west commands:

debug #. debugserver #. attach

Basic usage

Before starting, add NXP S32 Design Studio installation directory to the system :ref:PATH environment variable <env_vars>. Alternatively, it can be passed to the runner on each invocation via --s32ds-path as shown below:

.. tabs::

.. group-tab:: Linux

  .. code-block:: console

     west debug --s32ds-path=/opt/NXP/S32DS.3.6

.. group-tab:: Windows

  .. code-block:: console

     west debug --s32ds-path=C:\NXP\S32DS.3.6

If multiple S32 debug probes are connected to the host via USB, the runner will ask the user to select one via command line prompt before continuing. The connection string for the probe can be also specified when invoking the runner via --dev-id=<connection-string>. Consult NXP S32 debug probe user manual for details on how to construct the connection string. For example, if using a probe with serial ID 00:04:9f:00:ca:fe:

.. code-block:: console

west debug --dev-id='s32dbg:00:04:9f:00:ca:fe'

It is possible to pass extra options to the debug host tools via --tool-opt. When executing debug or attach commands, the tool options will be passed to the GDB client only. When executing debugserver, the tool options will be passed to the GDB server. For example, to load a Zephyr application to SRAM and afterwards detach the debug session:

.. code-block:: console

west debug --tool-opt='--batch'

Requirements

S32 Design Studio version: 3.6.0 or newer.
S32DebugProbe OS (firmware): 1.1.0 or newer.

S32 Debug Probe OS Upgrade Procedure

Refer to the “Reprogramming S32 Debug Probe Firmware Images” chapter in the S32 Debug Probe User Guide_ to upgrade the OS of the S32DebugProbe.

.. _runner_probe_rs:

probe-rs Debug Host Tools

probe-rs is an open-source embedded toolkit written in Rust. It provides out-of-the-box support for a variety of debug probes, including CMSIS-DAP, ST-Link, SEGGER J-Link, FTDI and built-in USB-JTAG interface on ESP32 devices.

Check probe-rs Installation_ for more setup details.

Check if your SoC is listed in probe-rs Supported Devices_.

.. _runner_rfp:

Renesas Flash Programmer (RFP) Host Tools

Renesas provides Renesas Flash Programmer_ as an official programming tool for Renesas boards using the Renesas standard boot firmware. It is available as a GUI and CLI.

For boards configured with the rfp west runner, the RFP CLI can be easily used to flash Zephyr.

Supported west commands:

flash

Once downloaded, if rfp-cli is not placed somewhere in your system PATH, you can pass the location to rfp-cli when flashing:

.. code-block:: console

west flash --rfp-cli ~/Downloads/RFP_CLI_Linux_V31800_x64/linux-x64/rfp-cli

.. _stm32cubeclt-host-tools: .. _runner_stlink_gdbserver:

STM32CubeCLT Flash & Debug Host Tools

STMicroelectronics provides STM32CubeCLT_ as an official all-in-one toolset compatible with Linux®, macOS® and Windows®, allowing the use of STMicroelectronics proprietary tools within third-party development environments.

It notably provides a GDB debugging server (the ST-LINK GDB Server) that can be used to debug applications on STM32 boards thanks to on-board or external ST-LINK debug probes.

It is compatible with the following debug probes:

:ref:stlink-v21-onboard-debug-probe
Standalone ST-LINK-V2, ST-LINK-V3, and STLINK-V3PWR_ probes

Install STM32CubeCLT

The easiest way to get the ST-LINK GDB Server is to install STM32CubeCLT_ from STMicroelectronics' website. A valid email address is needed to receive the downloading link.

Basic usage

The ST-Link GDB Server can be used through the west attach, west debug or west debugserver commands to debug Zephyr applications.

.. code-block:: console

west debug --runner stlink_gdbserver

.. note::

The STM32CubeProgrammer_ version contained in the STM32CubeCLT_ installation can also be used to flash applications. To do so, the dedicated :ref:STM32CubeProgrammer runner <runner_stm32cubeprogrammer> should be used instead of stlink_gdbserver, as done in the following example:

.. code-block:: console

  west flash --runner stm32cubeprogrammer

.. _stm32cubeprog-flash-host-tools: .. _runner_stm32cubeprogrammer:

STM32CubeProgrammer Flash Host Tools

STMicroelectronics provides STM32CubeProgrammer_ (STM32CubeProg) as an official programming tool for STM32 boards on Linux®, macOS®, and Windows® operating systems.

It provides an easy-to-use and efficient environment for reading, writing, and verifying device memory through both the debug interface (JTAG and SWD) and the bootloader interface (UART and USB DFU, I2C, SPI, and CAN).

It offers a wide range of features to program STM32 internal memories (such as flash, RAM, and OTP) as well as external memories.

It also allows option programming and upload, programming content verification, and programming automation through scripting.

It is delivered in GUI (graphical user interface) and CLI (command-line interface) versions.

It is compatible with the following debug probes:

:ref:stlink-v21-onboard-debug-probe
:ref:jlink-external-debug-probe
Standalone ST-LINK-V2, ST-LINK-V3, and STLINK-V3PWR_ probes

Install STM32CubeProgrammer

The easiest way to get STM32CubeProgrammer_ is to download it from STMicroelectronics website. A valid email address is needed to receive the downloading link.

Alternatively, it can be installed as part of STM32CubeCLT_ all-in-one multi-OS command-line toolset which also includes GDB debugger client and server.

If you have STM32CubeIDE installed on your system, then STM32CubeProg is already present.

Basic usage

STM32CubeProgrammer_ is setup as the default west runner for all active STM32 boards supported by Zephyr. It can be used through the west flash command to flash Zephyr applications.

.. code-block:: console

west flash --runner stm32cubeprogrammer

For advanced usage via the GUI or CLI, check out the STM32CubeProgrammer User Manual_.

.. _runner_uf2:

UF2 Uploader

The uf2 runner supports flashing some boards using the UF2 (USB Flashing Format). UF2 is a user-friendly file format designed for drag-and-drop programming via a USB mass storage device.

It relies on the target device entering a special bootloader mode where it appears to the host as a USB mass storage device. Once in this mode, the application image can be uploaded by copying a .uf2 file to the mounted volume.

.. code-block:: console

west flash --runner uf2

If the UF2 volume is not automatically detected, you may need to manually specify the mount point using the --device option:

For more about the UF2 format and its tooling, see USB Flashing Format (UF2)_.

.. _runner_mpcli:

Realtek Bee Flash Programmer (MPCli) Host Tools

Realtek provides Realtek Flash Programmer (MPCli)_ as an official programming tool for the Bee series, supporting Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems. MPCli enables In‑System Programming (ISP) via a UART interface, eliminating the need for external programming hardware. On most official Bee‑series evaluation boards, a built‑in UART‑to‑USB converter is included for ready‑to‑use programming and logging.

After downloading the archive of MPCli, extract it and choose the version compatible with your operating system. Then, add the directory containing the mpcli executable to your system :ref:PATH environment variable <env_vars>.

Before starting, ensure your board is in download mode. Please refer to the board documentation at: Realtek Supported Boards_

.. code-block:: console

west flash [--runner mpcli] --port /dev/ttyX

.. _J-Link Software and Documentation Pack: https://www.segger.com/downloads/jlink/#J-LinkSoftwareAndDocumentationPack

.. _J-Link Supported Devices: https://www.segger.com/downloads/supported-devices.php

.. _Getting OpenOCD: https://openocd.org/pages/getting-openocd.html

.. _OpenOCD Supported Devices: https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/openocd/tree/latest/tcl/target

.. _pyOCD Supported Devices: https://github.com/pyocd/pyOCD/tree/main/pyocd/target/builtin

.. _OpenOCD Windows: https://gnutoolchains.com/arm-eabi/openocd/

.. _Lauterbach TRACE32: https://www.lauterbach.com/

.. _Lauterbach TRACE32 download website: https://www.lauterbach.com/download_trace32.html

.. _Lauterbach TRACE32 Installation Guide: https://www2.lauterbach.com/pdf/installation.pdf