Getting started with STM32 - Basic questions

ak52 · ‎2025-03-12

Hello, As a newbie to STM32 , Could some experts please answer these questions for me

Is there any basic documentation that provides an overview of what software i will be needing installed on the PC? This is what is my understanding so far, there is STM32CubeIDE and STM32CubeMX, STM32CubeIDE is an eclipse based IDE and the STM32CubeMX is a standalone graphical user interface to configure the different MCU peripherals. But I read somewhere that the CubeMX is now integrated into STM32CubeIDE (so why do we need the standalone STM32CubeMX anymore)?
Regarding the ST-Link debugger , do we need to get a separate standalone debugger/Flasher ? I think the discovery boards come with the debugger circuitry ..so all i need is a USB cable? Please confirm.
Is it absolutely necessary to use CMSIS? , I notice that when we generate code always there is a CMSIS folder being created. Cant a project be made without the bloated HAL libraries, Is there an option for this?, If so any documentation on this will be helpful. The ultimate goal here is to run FreeRTOS on the STM32 without using CMSIS and using the FreeRTOS APIs only.
I have mostly used TI DSPs like the C2000 series, they have multiple cores (CPU0, CPU1) and a separate 32-bit floating point controller called the CLA(Control Law Accelerator) , this is extremely useful for "true" parallel processing, Does STM32 have something similar? Wanted to know for future reference.

mƎALLEm · ‎2025-03-12

Hello,

1- STM32CubeIDE and STM32CubeMX + STM32CubeProgrammer to mainly handle the flash and option bytes.

For CubeMx you can use both the integrated one in CubeIDE and the standalone version. Personally, I prefer the separated one.

2- If you will develop your own custom board, yes you need a separated debugger probe: STLINK, JLINK or whatever compatible device .. For ST boards: NUCLEO and discovery: all have on board STLINK. For Eval boards: older boards don't have a such probe.

3- If you will use CubeMx. Yes it's necessary to Use CMSIS v1/2. It's generated automatically by the tool. If you have to use FreeRTOS APIs directly you need to do it yourself. But to my knowledge, you can use CMSIS for the FreeRTOS initialization but you can still using FreeRTOS APIs in the application.

4- The only MCU product in dual core configuration is the STM32H7 dual core: CM7 + CM4. The floating point is not separated but integrated on each Cortex-M. Example: STM32H745.

Hope I've answered your questions.

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Andrew Neil · ‎2025-03-12

@ak52 wrote:
As a newbie to STM32 , .

Do you have experience with any other microcontroller(s) ?

See this thread for getting started with STM32:

https://community.st.com/t5/stm32-mcus-products/for-better-learning-stm32-programming-and-debugging/m-p/717799

@ak52 wrote:
2. Regarding the ST-Link debugger , do we need to get a separate standalone debugger/Flasher ? I think the discovery boards come with the debugger circuitry ..so all i need is a USB cable? Please confirm.

It depends - most ST boards have it built in; some require a separate, standalone probe.

For all ST Products (chips, boards, software, etc) the place to start is always the Product Page - this will have links to all the documentation and other resources for that product.