Hardware and software combined, Arduino does many things right. It lowers the entry level into embedded systems development with a nifty hardware abstraction layer. It aims for cross-platform compatibility by supporting Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux operation systems. It throws out the need for an external programmer to get you up-and-blinkin’ those LEDs quickly.
One thing most of us never cease to curse about, though, is the IDE. Many have cried out wildly against the Java-based text-editor for its cryptic compiling-and-linking process, its inability to accommodate bare C or C++ source files, and (shh!) its lack of Vim keybindings. Fortunately, our cries have been heard, and the like many community-based projects, the community fights back with a custom solution.
Calling all Grumpy Engineers: The Arduino-Makefile
Enter the Arduino Makefile.
What began as [Sudar’s] lightweight program to escape the IDE has become a fully-blown, feature rich Makefile that has evolved and adapted to grow with the changes of Arduino. With a community of 47 contributors, the Makefile enables you to escape from the IDE entirely by writing code in the cushy text editor of your choice and compiling with a simple incantation of make into your terminal, be you in Linux, Mac, or Windows.
Without further ado, let’s take a walking tour of the project’s highlights.
Continue reading “Arduino Development; There’s A Makefile For That”
With The Hackaday Prize, you’re not just limited to one entry. Of course it would be better to devote your time and efforts to only one project if you’re competing for a trip to space, but if you’re [Necromant], you might be working on two highly related project that are both good enough for The Hackaday Prize
