Bare Metal firmware development
Bare metal firmware development means stripping the layers between software and hardware to get back to basics. Bare metal programming offers efficiency and control for product owners who value fast response times, predictable system behavior, high performance with low power drain and memory management, and who want to manipulate their hardware for the best end-user outcomes and device functionality.
What is bare metal development?
Bare metal development is just about the opposite of a complex operating systems. Instead of different layers of programs and software services running different tasks, bare metal code runs a single program in a loop. Typically focused on microcontrollers rather than microprocessors with computing power, bare metal programming operates without an abstraction layer or operaring system and resembles a machine language that runs directly on the target hardware.
The main challenges of bare metal development
Knowledge gaps
Most developers are unfamiliar with bare metal programming and development. As web development and application development with functional and high-level languages and tools has expanded, the knowledge of writing firmware code for bare metal has become rarer, something internal development teams lack.
Ground up development
Bare metal programming demands working from the ground-up, programming without the safety net of an operating system of abstraction layers that are more familiar. Bare metal implementation demands deeper knowledge of the hardware components of a device or product that is sometimes hard to find on internal teams.
Technical expertise
When system failures occur developers can run into challenges if they lack the technical expertise to diagnose and resolve issues without the error logs that higher-level programs offer. When bootstrapping or provisioning fails, developers will need to draw on deep expertise in bare metal programs and development to deliver the fix for the embedded systems.
Key elements to consider
Project planning
- Discuss needs with Internal team
- Architect & choose hardware
- Set deliverables & milestones
Nelson Quintana
Vice President of Engineering
Witekio provided Veriskin with a talented, experienced and attentive team focused on execution and meeting the company deadlines. The Witekio team was professional, engaged and made us feel as if we were all one company.
How to develop a bare metal application in your embedded systems
Project planning
No bare metal project gets underway without a plan and a roadmap for the work. This crucial stage allows our team of engineers to work with your teams to set the goals, KPIs, and deadlines for delivery.
The first step of this planning is to discuss needs and specific requirementes with your internal team. While these will necessarily include the needs of your developers, it is important to also consider the end user and the specific use cases in which the device will be deployed and any other software that will run on the same hardware.
Our teams will architect a development plan but will also help you to choose the hardware that is most appropriate to your goals and expectations. Our deep experience and long-standing partnerships with all major hardware vendors can be leveraged by your teams in order to choose the right hardware for the job at hand.
Finally, our team will work with your team to set deliverables and milestones for the project so that there is clarity on all sides as to what will be handed over and when. These milestones will be based on the needs that have been expressed, the goals of the project, and deadlines that have been set.
The first step of this planning is to discuss needs and specific requirementes with your internal team. While these will necessarily include the needs of your developers, it is important to also consider the end user and the specific use cases in which the device will be deployed and any other software that will run on the same hardware.
Our teams will architect a development plan but will also help you to choose the hardware that is most appropriate to your goals and expectations. Our deep experience and long-standing partnerships with all major hardware vendors can be leveraged by your teams in order to choose the right hardware for the job at hand.
Finally, our team will work with your team to set deliverables and milestones for the project so that there is clarity on all sides as to what will be handed over and when. These milestones will be based on the needs that have been expressed, the goals of the project, and deadlines that have been set.
Development
With the roadmap, deadlines, and milestones in place, our teams get to work coding the bare metal application.
The coding of the bare metal application is undertaken by teams with deep experience in bare metal programming close to the hardware and expertise in a variety of industries. Embedded application development is one of Witekio’s key competencies and our teams have a long track record of successfully executing bare metal coding projects.
All of the bare metal code is tested and validated by our teams to be sure that there will be no bugs that make it through to the final delivered application. This testing is done on both the code itself and on the hardware device, too.
Finally, when the bare metal program code is complete, tested, and validated, our teams fully document the code. This documentation allows your teams to take total control of the code after it has been handed over and helps future development teams understand what the code includes and why it was included.
The coding of the bare metal application is undertaken by teams with deep experience in bare metal programming close to the hardware and expertise in a variety of industries. Embedded application development is one of Witekio’s key competencies and our teams have a long track record of successfully executing bare metal coding projects.
All of the bare metal code is tested and validated by our teams to be sure that there will be no bugs that make it through to the final delivered application. This testing is done on both the code itself and on the hardware device, too.
Finally, when the bare metal program code is complete, tested, and validated, our teams fully document the code. This documentation allows your teams to take total control of the code after it has been handed over and helps future development teams understand what the code includes and why it was included.
Post-delivery
Once a project is complete and the code of the bare metal firmware is handed over, the project is finished. However, most Witekio customers prefer to continue working alongside our teams to ensure the ongoing viability of the application.
For example, a maintenance contract will ensure that the device continues to function effectively and efficiently even after being in use for years or, in some use cases, decades. Our teams can regularly check in on the code, any updates to the hardware or higher-level software layers to ensure the device remains optimized.
Where updates are required for the firmware, these can be pushed over the air by Witekio teams. This process is optimized to be sure that the device’s downtime is limited and that the end user experience is only marginally impacted, if at all.
Finally, our teams are experts in security and, as threats develop over time, your device’s attack surfaces can be hardened in order to prevent hacks and data leaks. Regular scanning of your hardware and software layers in a proactive manner is considered best practice when it comes to securing your device against bad actors intent on doing harm.
For example, a maintenance contract will ensure that the device continues to function effectively and efficiently even after being in use for years or, in some use cases, decades. Our teams can regularly check in on the code, any updates to the hardware or higher-level software layers to ensure the device remains optimized.
Where updates are required for the firmware, these can be pushed over the air by Witekio teams. This process is optimized to be sure that the device’s downtime is limited and that the end user experience is only marginally impacted, if at all.
Finally, our teams are experts in security and, as threats develop over time, your device’s attack surfaces can be hardened in order to prevent hacks and data leaks. Regular scanning of your hardware and software layers in a proactive manner is considered best practice when it comes to securing your device against bad actors intent on doing harm.
The main benefits of bare metal development
Enhanced performance
Bare metal development means the code is interacting directly with the hardware of the device, and the program runs in an infinite loop. As a result, performance is enhanced, operations are more efficient, and latency is minimized. Well-written bare metal code means a more efficient device with precise timing, whether wearable, IoT or IIoT, and greater satisfaction for end users. Hardware resources, like power consumption, are utilized effectively, less memory use and the timing and execution of the code is completely controlled. There are no surprises, just fantastic performance.
Lower overheads on constrained systems
Bare metal firmware code runs without an operating system layer in a main loop, which minimizes abstraction and lowers the overhead for the code. With the substantially constrained systems that typically exist in the IoT, IIoT and wearable device markets, these lower overheads mean that devices can efficiently leverage the limited resources available without diminishing the quality of the user experience. Lightweight, low overhead and efficient firmware code running close to the hardware is a hallmark of effective bare metal firmware development and helps to power some of the leading devices on the market today.
Predictable performance
Without an operating system layer, your device avoids the delays that come from scheduling tasks for the operating systems and has a minimal bootloader. As a result, the behavior of the systems and the end user experience with the device are both highly predictable. For real time applications and use cases where precision timing is essential – for example, the control of a machine motor, automotive applications, drug delivery devices, and real-time signal processing – this predictable performance is an essential component of a successful product.
Witekio can support your bare metal project
Witekio has deep expertise in bare metal development and a track record of successfully executed projects that speak to the experience and capabilities of our engineers. Across a variety of domains and in the most demanding industries, our teams have developed bare metal applications with many features for dozens of different hardware architecture – microprocessors and microcontrollers. This expertise in embedded systems and proven capacity to deliver bare metal projects on time and on budget make Witekio the perfect partner to help accelerate the commercialization of your device – contact our teams today to begin your bare metal development project.
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