ANALYSIS OF STM32 FAMILY SUPPORT IN THE .NET ECO-SYSTEM AND PERSPECTIVES FOR COMMUNITY TARGETS DEVELOPMENT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35546/kntu2078-4481.2025.4.3.25Keywords:
NET nanoFramework, STM32, microcontrollers, managed code, portability, embedded systems, IoT, CLR, BSP, peripheral modulesAbstract
This article presents a systematic review of the support provided for the STM32 microcontroller series within the managed environment of.NET nanoFramework. The platform architecture is examined, including its multi-layered structure composed of the bootloader (nanoBooter), runtime core (nanoCLR), peripheral abstraction layer (PAL), and device libraries, as well as the specifics of its adaptation to various STM32 families such as F4, F7, and H7. The study identifies the primary advantages of using managed code on microcontrollers, including reduced development time due to the object-oriented programming model, rapid prototyping capabilities, integration with Visual Studio and Dev Containers, and simplified handling of peripheral modules via the C# API. Simultaneously, the limitations and portability challenges are discussed, such as CLR resource demands, differences in DMA, USB, and caching support across STM32 series, and the need for manual BSP and project configuration to ensure stable operation across different targets. A comparative analysis of the STM32 series in the context of nanoFramework support is provided: mid-range series (F4) are optimal for prototyping and educational projects, lower-end series (F0, L0) are limited in memory and peripheral features, and high-performance series (F7, H7) enable complex multithreaded and IoT applications given proper configuration of caches, DMA, and clock multipliers. Based on literature analysis and open-source sources, practical recommendations are offered: select the STM32 series according to task complexity, optimize memory usage, adhere to BSP standards and test code portability across series, utilize automation tools for build and deployment, and in time-critical applications, combine C# with native C code. This article targets embedded systems developers, IoT researchers, and educational institutions seeking to effectively employ managed code on STM32 while maintaining software flexibility and portability.
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