Firmware runs on microcontrollers with no OS, no heap allocator, and no second chances. This course covers bare-metal C, peripheral registers, interrupt handlers, embedded debugging with GDB and JTAG, and the build system that turns source into flashable binaries.
This is a text-first course that links out to the best supporting material on the internet instead of trying to replace it. The goal is to make this the best course on firmware development and embedded systems you can find — even without producing a single minute of custom video.
This course is built by people who ship production firmware systems for a living. It reflects how things actually work on real projects — not how the documentation describes them.
Every day has working code snippets you can paste into your editor and run right now. The emphasis is on understanding what each line does, not memorizing syntax.
Instead of shooting videos that go stale in six months, Precision AI Academy links to the definitive open-source implementations, official documentation, and the best conference talks on the topic.
Each day is designed to finish in about an hour of focused reading plus hands-on work. You can do the whole course over a week of lunch breaks. No calendar commitment, no live classes, no quizzes.
Each day stands alone. Read them in order for the full picture, or jump straight to the day that answers the question you have today.
Writing C that runs without an OS, malloc, or standard library. The memory map, startup code, linker scripts, and why the first thing firmware does is set up the stack pointer.
How microcontroller peripherals (GPIO, UART, SPI, I2C) are controlled by writing to memory-mapped registers. Reading datasheets and translating register descriptions to C code.
The interrupt vector table, ISR design, priority configuration, and the volatile and barrier patterns that prevent compiler optimizations from breaking interrupt-driven code.
GDB over JTAG/SWD with OpenOCD, hardware breakpoints, watchpoints, and the printf debugging alternative (semihosting and RTT) when you can’t stop the real-time loop.
CMake and Make for embedded, cross-compilation toolchains (arm-none-eabi-gcc), OpenOCD flashing commands, and CI/CD for firmware with QEMU emulation.
Instead of shooting our own videos, Precision AI Academy links to the best deep-dives already on YouTube. Watch them alongside the course. All external, all free, all from builders who ship this stuff.
Writing firmware for Cortex-M without HAL or RTOS. Startup code, linker scripts, and the first blink-an-LED from scratch.
Reading datasheets and writing code to configure GPIO, UART, and SPI peripherals by direct register manipulation.
GDB over JTAG with OpenOCD. Breakpoints, watchpoints, and examining memory in a running microcontroller.
CMake toolchain files, cross-compilation targets, and integrating firmware builds into CI/CD pipelines.
The best way to understand any technology is to read the production-grade implementations that prove it works. These repositories implement patterns from every day of this course.
Open-source low-level hardware library for ARM Cortex-M. The peripheral register definitions are the clearest reference for Day 2 register programming.
The open-source debugger used in Days 4 and 5. Reading its transport layer source explains how GDB talks to JTAG adapters.
A lightweight real-time OS for IoT. After this course, RIOT’s driver model is the best next step for learning structured embedded software architecture.
The industry-standard embedded RTOS. Understanding bare-metal (this course) makes Zephyr’s HAL and driver model click immediately.
You know C or C++ but have never programmed a microcontroller. This course bridges general software skills to the constraints of embedded systems.
You understand circuits. This course teaches the software layer that controls the hardware you design.
You’re building a connected device. Understanding firmware — even if you use an RTOS — makes you much better at debugging the hardware/software boundary.
The 2-day in-person Precision AI Academy bootcamp covers firmware development and embedded systems hands-on. 5 U.S. cities. $1,490. 40 seats max. June–October 2026 (Thu–Fri).
Reserve Your Seat