Introduction
Provide background information about the training and the Zephyr project.
Welcome • Course Objectives • Background on Zephyr • Getting started with Zephyr • Development environments Setup (native, container, IDE extension) • Practical tips. Bonus Appendix: Useful Resources.
Zephyr for Embedded Products
Discuss what makes Zephyr a good fit for embedded products.
Why use Zephyr? • Hardware Support • Ecosystem Overview • Licensing • Product Examples.
Developing with Zephyr
Discuss practical considerations when developing embedded products with Zephyr.
How to build smarter and launch faster • Product Considerations • Release Lifecycle • Security and Regulation • Software update.
Zephyr Ecosystem Overview
Give an overview of the Zephyr Ecosystem.
Architecture • Kernel and OS services • Connectivity Stacks • Proprietary Extensions.
Zephyr Build System
Understand the Zephyr Build System.
West Workspace and Manifest • west tool • Managing Workspace • Building and Flashing applications • Using emulators • Zephyr Build Systems • YAML files.
RTOS basic
An introduction to Real-Time OS fundamentals.
Software Concurrency • Concurrent Programming Model (cooperative, preemptive) • Real-time Systems.
Zephyr Kernel
Understand threads in Zephyr and how the kernel schedule them.
Creating Threads (static, runtime) • Threads priority • Threads Scheduling & Lifecycle • Preemptible vs Cooperative threads • Threads APIs • Product development Tips • Bonus appendix: configuration options, SMP, power management, how to assign priority.
Devicetree and Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL)
Get introduced to devicetree.
Why devicetree? • The classic approach: Hardware Abstraction Layer • Devicetree and Zephyr • From Bare Metal… to Zephyr • Blinky walkthrough • Using devicetree to your advantages.
Kconfig
Learn about Kconfig and how to configure Zephyr for your application.
What is Kconfig? • Inspecting configuration with menuconfig/guiconfig • Application Custom Kconfig • Config Symbol definition • Kconfig files and Config fragments • Pay only for what you configure • Product Tips for configuring your product.
Kconfig Troubleshooting
Learn how to resolve the most common issues related to Kconfig.
prj.conf not found • Config fragment is not applied • Unmet Kconfig dependencies • Linker error undefined reference __device_dts_ord_XXX.
Zephyr Debugging Part 1
Learn how shells, logging and tracing help with application debugging during the development phase.
Shells • Configuring and Using Shells • Logging Subsystem • Configuring and Using Logging • Selecting Logging backend • Common Kconfig Options • Driver Specific Debug Options • Tracing Subsystem • Configuring and Using Tracing.
Zephyr Debugging Part 2
Learn how to debug Zephyr applications.
Cross-debugging • GDB and VScode • Use Case: Debugging Fatal Error • Post-Mortem Debugging • Core Dump • Use Case: Stack Overflow • Tips for Devices in the Fields.
Logging
Learn how to leverage the logging APIs for your applications.
Architecture overview • Log Module • Logging APIs • Using Kconfig Log template • More on Logging.
Hardware Integration
Discuss how to integrate peripherals in Zephyr.
Hardware Integration procedure • Basics Checks • Devicetree bindings • Creating a Devicetree Overlays • Enabling the Driver • Using drivers in application • Practical Product Tips & Best Practices.
Working with Devicetrees
Introduce the syntax and usage of devicetrees to gain a deeper understanding of how devicetree is used in Zephyr.
Tree Structure • Devicetree Files • Merge & Overlay • Basic syntax: node, properties type • Standard properties • Common nodes (special nodes, addressable resources, interrupts…) • Querying the Devicetree pogrammatically.
Devicetree Troubleshooting
Learn how to resolve the most common issues related to devicetrees.
Gosh, I got hundredths of cryptic compilation errors! • Common devicetree issues • How to resolve • Practical tips and tricks to ease troubleshooting.
Synchronization
Learn about the synchronization services and APIs provided by Zephyr and how to use them.
New bugs category • More on Threads Scheduling • Race Conditions • Semaphores • Priority Inversions • Mutex • Events • Condvars • Spinlock • Other Mechanisms • Tips and Best Practices.
Passing Data
Introduce the data passing primitives and APIs offered by the Zephyr Kernel.
Introduction • Overview Passing Primtive • Using Kernel FIFO, LIFO and Queues • Using Message Queue • Bonus Appdenix: Kernel Pipe and Mailbox.
ZBus
Discuss Zbus, a lightweight and flexible software bus for applications.
Why ZBus? ZBus key concepts • Channels, Listeners, (message) Subscribers • Zbus APIs • Virtual Distributed Events Dispatcher • Higher Locker Priority Protocol • Going further.
Timers and Interrupts
Learn about timers and interrupts.
Measuring Time • Working with Timers • Interrupt Service Routine • Top/Bottom halves • System and Custom Workqueue • Working with Workqueues • Using interrupts.
Device Drivers
Discuss the steps required to develop and integrate a custom device driver in Zephyr.
Driver Development recipe • Devicetree bindings and Kconfig • Device Driver Model • Driver Implementation • Driver Registration • System Initialization (initlevels) • Using the Drivers • Product development tips.
Working without Hardware
Learn about QEMU and native simulator and discuss how these technologies can be used during product development.
QEMU • QEMU Use Cases • native_sim • native_sim Use Cases • Emulated Devices • Testing drivers • Creating a Device Driver Emulator.
Ztest and Twister
Introduce Zephyr’s test framework, Ztest, and the test runner tool twister.
Twister • Using twister • Test reports and scenarios • Ztest • Writing Tests with Ztest • Hardware In the Loop (HIL) testing • Going Further.
Quality Assurance
Discuss common tools available with Zephyr to assess and improve the quality of your product.
Footprint and Memory Usage • Static Code Analysis • Software Bill of Materials (SBOM). Bonus Appendix: Code Coverage.
Writing Zephyr Application
Discuss a typical project structure for applications.
How to integrate proprietary code • Zephyr module • Creating and Using a Zephyr Module • Creating a Custom Workspace for your product • Zephyr Example Application.
Flying your Kite
Wrap-up, free Q&A sessions, further Zephyr and Doulos Resources.
Optional Topics:
The following sections are available in the Zephyr Essentials Manual but are not normally covered in our public offering. This content is provided for further study following the live delivery:
Memory Layout
Discuss aspects related to data and code placement in Zephyr.
Introduction • System Memory Map • Code and Data placement • Linker files in Zephyr • Code and Data Relocation • Custom Linker Scripts • Boot Process.
Dynamic Memory
Discuss how to use dynamic memory in Zephyr.
Dynamic Memory Landscape • System Heap • Synchronized Heaps • Low-level Heap Allocators • Using sys_heap • Using slabs • Memory Blocks • Further Aspects.
