📌 STM32 Bare-Metal Learning Labs

This repository contains a collection of bare-metal STM32F411 experiments implemented using CMSIS (no HAL or LL drivers). It's my progression of learning Bare Metal MCU programming

Each subdirectory is a self-contained lab focused on one peripheral or system concept and it's practical use

Target MCU: STM32F411 (Cortex-M4) aka The Black Pill

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🎯 Goals of This Repository

• Understand STM32 at register level
• Learn how peripherals interact (DMA ↔ Timer ↔ GPIO ↔ NVIC)
• Avoid dependency on vendor abstraction layers
• How to use best practices in c++ for maximum efficiency

This is not production firmware — it is a silicon exploration lab.

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🗂 Projects

• 01 - Interrupt Based Binary Counter
• 02 - DMA Based Copying Array
• 03 - PWM Based Breathing Effect
• 04 - USART Based Data Transmission
• 05 - DMA Based USART Circular Buffered Reply
• 06 - I2C Based Commuincation
• 07 - SPI Based MISO Implementation
• 08 - RCC HSE 100MHz Configuration
• 09 - I2C Driver Read-Write Polling Based
• 10 - VL53L0X Driver I2C
• 11 - Non Blocking Interrupt Driven USART Driver
• 12 - FSM Based Non Blocking I2C Driver

📁 Project Directories

Each project directory consists of:

• main.cpp
  Main project source code

• schematic.svg [It may or may not be present based on project itself]
  Schematic diagram to show wiring & overall working

• Makefile
  A make file responsible for compiling, linking and flashing with one command

• README.md
  Explanation of:

  • what the project demonstrates
  • peripheral configuration summary
  • register-level flow

Projects are designed to be read independently.

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⚙️ Toolchain Used

All projects use the same base toolchain:

• Compiler: arm-none-eabi-gcc
• Assembler: arm-none-eabi-as
• Linker script: /platform/STM32F411CEU6_FLASH.ld
• Startup code: /platform/startup_stm32f411xe.s

Flashing via:

• OpenOCD

Build system: simple Makefile per project

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▶️ Getting Started

• Install Tools
  -> For Debian based OS

  • sudo apt install gcc-arm-none-eabi binutils-arm-none-eabi libnewlib-arm-none-eabi git make openocd

  -> For Red Hat based OS

  • sudo dnf install arm-none-eabi-gcc-cs arm-none-eabi-binutils-cs arm-none-eabi-newlib git make openocd

  -> For Arch based OS

  • sudo pacman -S arm-none-eabi-gcc arm-none-eabi-binutils arm-none-eabi-newlib git make openocd

• Verify Installation

  • arm-none-eabi-g++ --version

• Pull this repository to local system

  • git pull https://github.com/Muhammad-Hassan-Tariq/Bare-Metal-stm32f411-projects.git

• Build & Flash

  • Change directory to any project listed
  • sudo make openocd_flash

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💻 My Development Environment

• OS: Arch Linux
• Editor: Neovim + clangd LSP
• Build: GNU Make
• Debug: GDB + ST-Link V2
• Language: C++ (with C-style register access)

Why C++ for embedded?

• Type safety without performance overhead
• constexpr for compile-time optimization
• Templates for zero-cost abstractions
• Better than C for large firmware projects