Get hands-on with microcontrollers: Your journey starts here

Posted by — November 14, 2021 in Microcontroller(uC)

The microcontroller is a small microcomputer, it contains CPU, RAM, ROM, Internal Oscillator, GPIO, Peripherals, ADC, and DAC in one integrated chip, just like humans there is a language to communicate/program microcontroller that is C/C++ and different compiler to compile C/C++ code.

Types

There are many recognized manufacturing brands and programming architecture, The main three types are:

  • 8-BIT
  • 16-BIT
  • 32-BIT

The main distinction between these three types in term of bus width, this specification limit microcontroller’s speed, 8-bit is very basic and cost-effective but limited functionality in some application, 16 bit and 32-bit typically more expensive but have good performance.

Microcontroller Architecture

Although there are only three types, there is a diverse range of manufacturer brand architecture available, some of the most common are:

  • ARM core processor
  • Microchip technology Atmel AVR MCU (8-bit), AVR 32 (32-bit)
  • Microchip technology PIC MCU (8-bit PIC16, 16-bit asPIC32 and 32-bit PIC32)
  • Intel 8051 MCU
  • Texas Instruments TI MSP430 (16-bit), MSP432 (32-bit)

Where to Start

When anyone starts to work on a microcontroller or want to learn then he confuses little bit because it is a very vast field and there are several types and IDEs, this blog will guide you to start learning from a very basic to a professional level and give to start and right direction to grow in this field.

I will highly recommend you to start from the very basic and simple microcontroller (I.e., AVR 8 bit) instead of complex architecture ARM core, we will start learning on Atmega328/328P, so we can use Arduino Uno, remember we have to focus on Arduino’s microcontroller (Atmega328/328P) rather than Arduino board because professional level Arduino is doesn’t use.

Prerequisites

  • Some basic knowledge of electronics.
  • You have to familiar with C/C++ programming language.
  • Basic know how of Arduino IDE and Atmel studio.

Requirements

Let start with the first lesson in the next post.

Bottom Lines

The microcontroller is a small microcomputer that is used in many electronic applications and it has three types and some architectures. If you want to learn and to become a professional programmer then follow this blog. For learning require some basic electronic knowledge and C/C++ programming language, if you haven’t then you can also learn from this blog.

8 Comments

  1. اَلسَلامُ عَلَيْكُم وَرَحْمَةُ اَللهِ وَبَرَكاتُهُ
    Sir that was a great idea .
    Keep it up👍‎

  2. Well done u have described it in a Very precise and simple way.w8ng anxiously for further posts

  4. Thanks for the basic Architecture of Atmega328 which is nicely explained.
    Please publishes the next phase tutorial of Atmega328 along with basic experiments. Because insted of giving lecture of Matche Box, it is more usefull to demonstrate practical about Match Box and Fire ***!!!!

Comments are closed.