The Raspberry Pi Pico’s RP2040 microcontroller has been integrated into a wide range of new boards due to its ease of use and ample stock. The latest surprise board featuring the powerful microcontroller comes from Raspberry Pi itself.
The Debug Probe
The $12 Raspberry Pi Debug Probe is a hardware debug solution for Arm-based microcontrollers, including the RP2040. While it may not make our list of the best RP2040 boards, it will be invaluable for those who need it.
What is a Debug Probe?
A Debug Probe is a means of monitoring output and debugging code on a bare metal board. Normally, a debugger would flag any issues as they occur.
However, in cases where a C program is running directly on the processor without an operating system (known as a bare metal operation), or an operating system is being developed, a debug probe is required to access the processor’s built-in debug capabilities.
How does it work?
The Raspberry Pi Debug Probe can be used with a Raspberry Pi Pico or any Arm-based microcontroller with 3.3 Volt I/O and an SWD (Serial Wire Debug) port.
Connecting these pins to the Debug Probe enables the probe to watch for bugs. The probe then connects to a computer via USB, providing a USB-to-serial interface.
The Benefits
According to Eben Upton, the founder of Raspberry Pi, the Debug Probe will be beneficial for anyone developing or debugging code for Arm-based microcontrollers, regardless of whether they’re using Raspberry Pi products or not.
RP2040 Microcontroller
The Raspberry Pi Pico’s RP2040 microcontroller has been integrated into a wide range of new boards due to its ease of use and ample stock. The latest surprise board featuring the powerful microcontroller comes from Raspberry Pi itself.
CMSIS-DAP Protocol
Using software that follows the CMSIS-DAP protocol that Arms standardized, users can step through their code with their favorite software debug platform.
Improved Solution
Since its launch, the Raspberry Pi Pico has been able to act as a Picoprobe, but the steps to achieve this involved a few messy wires. The $12 Debug Probe provides a low-wire solution in a delightfully neat package.
Conclusion
Raspberry Pi’s $12 Debug Probe is a cost-effective and efficient solution for developers who need to debug code on bare metal boards. With the RP2040 microcontroller built-in, it provides an easy-to-use solution for accessing the processor’s debug capabilities.
