How to organize the folder structure in CubeMX-generated code

[Vergnani_ElEn]

I created a new project using CubeMX, and after that I plan to implement a framework for my firmware. I would like to better understand the best way to organize a clean and maintainable folder structure.

A colleague told me that all folders should be created inside the Core directory. I would like to understand whether using Core to contain my framework is the best approach, or if it is acceptable to create additional source folders outside of it.

Additionally, where can I find examples of STM32 firmware projects generated using CubeMX?

[Ghofrane GSOURI]

Hello @Vergnani_ElEn 

A typical STM32CubeMX project looks  like:

Project/
├─ Core/
│ ├─ Inc/
│ ├─ Src/
│ ├─ Startup/
│ └─ ...
├─ Drivers/
│ ├─ CMSIS/
│ └─ STM32xxxx_HAL_Driver/
├─ Middlewares/ (if you enable USB, FATFS, FreeRTOS, etc.)
├─ .project / .cproject / .mxproject / Makefile / etc.
└─ ...

CubeMX guarantees that it will regenerate or update files under:
Core/Inc,Src
Drivers/STM32xxxx_HAL_Driver
Middlewares/...

You don’t need to keep all your code under Core; you can structure it like this:

Project/
├─ Core/ # CubeMX-owned
│ ├─ Inc/
│ └─ Src/
├─ Drivers/ # ST/CMSIS
├─ Middlewares/ # Optional (FreeRTOS, USB, etc.)
├─ App/ # Your application logic
│ ├─ Inc/
│ └─ Src/
└─ Framework/ # Your reusable firmware framework
 ├─ Inc/
 └─ Src/

 

Regarding the example : Each MCU family has a Cube package where you can find STM32CubeMX  examples  .

To install any firmware package In STM32CubeMX :Go to:
Help → Manage embedded software packages
Install the package for your MCU family (e.g. STM32F4, STM32H7)

After installation, the packages are typically stored in a path similar to:

C:\Users\<user>\STM32Cube\Repository\STM32Cube_FW_F4_Vx.x.x\

Inside this folder you will find example projects under Projects, for example:

Projects/STM32F4-Discovery/Examples/

Projects/NUCLEO-F401RE/Applications/

These contain ready-to-build projects that follow the same structure generated by STM32CubeMX.

[Andrew Neil]

@Ghofrane GSOURI wrote:

You don’t need to keep all your code under Core.

Indeed.

@Vergnani_ElEn - In fact, I would suggest that you keep all of your own code out of any folders maintained by CubeMX.

That way you can just leave CubeMX to do its own thing entirely in its own folder structure - so no risks of it affecting any of your own stuff, and no headaches if it decides to change its structure.

 

This also makes it easier to share code between projects.

 

See also: Project organisation in CubeIDE - how to go about libraries.

[shrinivas96]

Hello, I find myself in a similar position as OP. Being a beginner, until now I have always been editing code inside the begin and end user code guards. Starting work on a real product I want to get into professional development practices. 

​​​​@Andrew Neil mentions, “keep all of your own code out of any folders maintained by CubeMX”. This means you add an App folder parallel to the CubeMX generated project str, as shown by ​@Ghofrane GSOURI. And then do you include `main.h` (for all the pin mappings you define in CubeMX) and any other includes you might need such as `stm32f4xx_hal` in your `App/Inc/app.h`?

[Vergnani_ElEn]

Good,

The answer fully addressed my question.

[Andrew Neil]

Please mark the solution on whichever post you feel answered the question.