Is STM8 recomended for beginners?

[rabbi141]

I have experience with PIC and AVR microcontrollers, but they lack the good debug features of the STM8 series. Furthermore, these microcontrollers aren't cheap. While looking for simple and inexpensive chips, I keep coming across the STM8 series.

Mastering a new microcontroller takes time. I'm confused about learning the STM8 because STMicroelectronics is recommending their STM32 series, which uses the ARM Cortex-M core. This recommendation makes me wonder if investing time in the STM8 is a good idea, or if it would be better to learn the more widely-supported and future-proof STM32 family.

[Andrew Neil]

On the state of STM8 tool support: 

https://community.st.com/t5/stm8-mcus/st-visual-develop-updates/td-p/763922

"the outdated IDE creates unnecessary barriers for beginners, often discouraging them early in the learning process"

[DarekR]

Unfortunately, ST has not updated STVD for a long time. Which is scandalous. Works fine with windows 7, W10 64bit I failed to install. To solve these problems I have on virtualbox W7 STD and STVP, on top of that on linux Ubuntu. STVD with the Cosmic compiler works well, although it has its whims. STVP without problems, but not at the same time with STVD. I recently made a project for STM8L152R8. SPI, graphic LCD, ADC, extensive menu, almost 60kB batch.

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Discussion of installing STVD on Windows 10 split to separate thread.

[Andrew Neil]

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@DarekR wrote:

ST has not updated STVD for a long time. Which is scandalous

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But it aligns with what @Peter BENSCH said in the first reply.

See also what @mƎALLEm said here and here.

PS:

See also:

https://community.st.com/t5/stm8-mcus/stvd-mcu-selection-list-empty-dao360-re-register-not-work/m-p/868333/highlight/true#M10593

"[STVD] is no longer being developed because all resources are focused on the more modern STM32"

[DarekR]

I invariably think that for simpler tasks, 8-bit machines are better because they are simpler. A few years earlier, ST also claimed this. I'm surprised that ST is abandoning its 8-bit microcontrollers when other companies continue to support them. In fact, as a hobbyist, I don't need more powerful microcontrollers for my projects. And I don't need to learn ARM architecture, although it probably will. I use, for m.in, STM8 libraries and I use these microcontrollers quite efficiently. As a customer, I am not attached to ST solutions, although I like and know STM8. Perhaps, if ST completely abandons STM8 I'll switch to other 8-bit microcontrollers. In electronics, the most important thing is not to follow the news, but to ensure the reliability and optimality of the solution. And ease of implementation.

[Rombersoft]

Additionally, I've found more easier way to STM8 programming in sduino.

Because I like the Linux OS.

[Andrew Neil]

For STM32, there is stm32duino:

https://www.stm32duino.com/

https://docs.arduino.cc/libraries/stm32duino-examples/

https://github.com/stm32duino

[DarekR]

Great, very interesting.

[Andrew Neil]

Of course, once you're into Arduino (or similar) the underlying architecture is, essentially, irrelevant - makes no difference whether it's AVR, SAM, Renesas, STM8/32 or whatever!

[Rombersoft]

For STM32, I'm not interested in using sduino with Arduino IDE, because there is STM32CubeIDE for Linux OS, and I like it very much.

[Andrew Neil]

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@Rombersoft wrote:

Additionally, I've found more easier way to STM8 programming in sduino.

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Is that an IDE in its own right, or does it use the Arduino IDE ?