Build Pipelines Revisited

The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast · 16 Feb 2022 · 43m

What this episode covers

Hosts Jeff Gable and Luca Jani revisit build pipelines for embedded systems, advising teams to start with command-line builds and immediate failure notifications. They recommend adding static analysis and unit tests to enforce coding standards, arguing that automation saves time on trivial debates like brace styles. The discussion extends to tracking metrics via dashboards and integrating target hardware testing to ensure deployment scripts remain valid. Finally, they highlight pitfalls such as ignoring pipeline failures or embedding business logic directly into the CI configuration.

Mentioned

Products
Embed Ops
Tools
Hudson, Jenkins, Cppcheck, GitLab, Docker, Make, Ceedling

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 19m

    Firmware for Hardware Engineers with Phillip Johnston

    Phillip Johnston of Embedded Artistry explains how hardware engineers can improve firmware quality by adopting software engineering practices like separation of concerns, information hiding, and loose coupling. He details the implementation of Continuous Integration (CI) pipelines using tools like Jenkins and GitHub Actions to automate testing, static analysis, and hardware-in-the-loop checks. Johnston also discusses the strategic shift from bare-metal development to ecosystems like Zephyr RTOS and the importance of designing for change to mitigate supply chain risks.

  • The Builder Circle · 1h 05m

    S2 E1: From Code to Creation: The Building Blocks of Firmware with Elecia White

    Elecia White, founder of Logical Elegance and host of the Embedded FM podcast, explains the unique constraints of firmware development for hardware entrepreneurs. She outlines the typical firmware build-out process, emphasizing the importance of early sensor selection, modular architecture, and critical testing phases like board bring-up and manufacturing validation. White advises founders to insource only their 'secret sauce' algorithms while buying commodities like GPS modules or radios, and warns against common pitfalls such as adding over-the-air updates at the last minute or ignoring market validation.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 20m

    Firmware Deployment and Troubleshooting with Akbar Dhanaliwala

    Chris Gammell, founder of Lager Data, explains how his experiences with companies like SolarCity, Ringly, and Minna Life revealed the tedious nature of embedded firmware testing, inspiring the creation of the Lager Gateway platform. He details how the system enables continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) for embedded devices by allowing engineers to run unit and system tests, flash firmware, and debug remotely from a command line without physical lab access. Gammell highlights the use of Dockerized build environments and integration with GitHub Actions to automate testing, ensuring that changes to firmware do not break device functionality or over-the-air update capabilities.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 19m

    211: 4 weeks, 3 days

    Dennis Jackson, Director of Firmware at Element Science, discusses how software engineers can transition into embedded systems by building personal projects using low-cost hardware like STM32 Discovery boards. He advises new hires to read James Grenning’s Test Driven Development in Embedded C and Elecia White’s Making Embedded Systems, emphasizing that understanding build systems like Make and continuous integration is as critical as writing drivers. Jackson argues that the distinction between firmware and software is fading, urging engineers to apply general software best practices like unit testing and static analysis to embedded constraints. He shares his interview philosophy, which prioritizes problem-solving and code quality over syntax, and highlights the importance of establishing a reproducible build environment to ensure reliable production releases.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 26m

    Is This A Show?

    Chris Gammell and Dave Jones host Chris White and Alicia White of Embedded.fm to discuss the 256th episode milestone, the challenges of producing technical podcasts without visual aids, and the state of hardware conferences like Solid Con. The group debates the user experience of smartwatches, specifically the Pebble Time, focusing on the lack of out-of-the-box functionality and the industry trend of shipping incomplete firmware. They also touch on the importance of product management in ensuring quality and the frustrations engineers face when their technical concerns are ignored by management.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.