{"id":4325,"date":"2019-04-17T20:00:09","date_gmt":"2019-04-17T18:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/msalamon.pl\/?p=4325"},"modified":"2025-12-27T19:54:31","modified_gmt":"2025-12-27T18:54:31","slug":"ide-or-not-ide-the-8-best-ides-for-stm32","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/msalamon.pl\/en\/ide-or-not-ide-the-8-best-ides-for-stm32\/","title":{"rendered":"IDE or Not IDE \u2013 The 8 Best IDEs for STM32"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Many beginners puzzle over what the best IDE for STM32 is. On the Internet, as is always the case, opinions are divided. Some will recommend an all-in-one tool costing thousands of dollars \u201cbecause it\u2019s the best and the others are junk.\u201d Others will say that an IDE is an unnecessary tool and will send you to Notepad or something only slightly more advanced. There\u2019s also a split between supporters of free and paid IDEs. So which is the best IDE for STM32? The answer isn\u2019t simple\u2026 but<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Update start<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This post was written at a time when ST didn\u2019t yet have its own IDE. I described their environment called STM32CubeIDE in a newer article right here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Update end<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve used several myself and it\u2019s hard for me to say which is the best. Each has its pros and cons. So I came up with an idea. Instead of searching the internet for the best IDE for STM32, I simply asked on our wonderful Facebook group STM32 Polska<\/strong> which ones developers use most often.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The answers varied, but a trend was visible. I filtered out the one-offs and thus created a list of the 8 best and most popular IDEs (and \u201cnotepads\u201d) for STM32.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. SW4STM32<\/h2>\n\n\n
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This is an IDE from AC6 based on Eclipse. The full name is System Workbench for STM32. More often, however, the abbreviation is used. This IDE is complete and self-sufficient when it comes to programming STM32. After installation it\u2019s ready to work right away. It includes the GCC compiler and the OpenOCD and GDB debuggers that work with ST-Link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a community project run by the aforementioned AC6 and was supported by ST for a long time. On the project website you\u2019ll find a forum that is still active. The project has its own Wiki with some useful information. Besides that, there\u2019s a blog which, from what I can see, died long ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Downloading the IDE requires registration on the site. SW4STM32 is completely free and can be used on different platforms: Windows, Linux, MacOS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. TrueStudio for STM32 (Atollic TrueStudio)<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Atollic created an IDE similar to SW4STM32. It\u2019s also based on Eclipse, and it includes a built\u2011in compiler and debugger. What sets it apart? Some time ago, Atollic was acquired by ST. For a long time, ST didn\u2019t have its own dedicated code-writing tool. Now it does and it\u2019s developing it vigorously. It supports both microcontrollers and development boards from ST.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has a range of built-in conveniences for debugging, such as support for SWO used to send messages from the MCU. It also has built-in tools for data visualization as well as very useful tools for debugging RTOS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just like SW4STM32, TrueStudio is completely free. Downloading requires registration. However, there\u2019s no support for MacOS. Only Windows and Linux users can enjoy it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Eclipse + plugins<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The previous two IDEs are based on this solution and look similar. Since they\u2019re based on Eclipse, why not use it directly? The classic answer says: \u201cYou can. Absolutely!\u201d Unfortunately, it\u2019s not that simple. People starting out with STM32 programming may be put off by the environment setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apart from Eclipse itself, you need to install, among other things, the compiler and debuggers. You also need to install MCU packages and configure programming the chip and launching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, you achieve an effect similar to the Eclipse-based IDEs (SW4STM32 and TrueStudio). Of course, this is a free path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eclipse website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Keil \u00b5Vision IDE (MDK)<\/h2>\n\n\n
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This is a powerhouse provided by ARM. It\u2019s supposedly so good that some say there are no other environments. Indeed, it has many advantages and is a fully professional tool. It supports not only STM32, but all ARM microcontrollers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The package includes, among other things, the ARM C\/C++ compiler, the CMSIS-RTOS RTX kernel, and a debugger. Unfortunately, from a beginner\u2019s perspective, its great advantages are overshadowed by one downside \u2013 the price. The package isn\u2019t free, BUT\u2026 you can use it for free, also commercially, within the Cortex\u2011M0 and Cortex\u2011M0+ cores. This means the STM32F0 and STM32L0 families are fully within reach of this IDE at no cost. Worth a try.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. VisualGDB<\/h2>\n\n\n
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The next item is an add-on for Microsoft Visual Studio IDE called VisualGDB. It turns that powerful behemoth into additional tools for embedded programming, not just STM32.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, VisualGDB isn\u2019t free. There\u2019s a 30-day trial, so you can check whether it works for you. Visual Studio IDE in the Community edition also has a few conditions under which you can use it for free. Otherwise it\u2019s paid as well \u2013 Enterprise and Professional editions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visual Studio website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

VisualGDB website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. VS Code<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Microsoft\u2019s code editor. It\u2019s a free open-source project launched in 2015, and it quickly attracted loyal users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a \u201cnotepad\u201d it has loads of interesting features like auto-completion and Git integration. After adding the right extensions it can also debug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can write code in it and compile externally. However, extensions are undoubtedly the easier route. One useful embedded extension is, for example, vscode\u2011mbed, which lets you work with the ARM mbed framework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. PlatformIO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is an interesting open-source project. PlatformIO is a plugin for two popular open-source code \u201cnotepads\u201d \u2013 Atom and the aforementioned VS Code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are quite pleasant and lightweight tools for writing code, just like VS Code above. In fact, that\u2019s exactly what we use (or Atom). On the plus side, it supports lots of microcontrollers and IoT boards, as well as different frameworks within a single chip\/vendor, so you\u2019re not limited only to STM32 and, for example, the HAL libraries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, the free version doesn\u2019t include a debugger. However, the individual license isn\u2019t that expensive at just $2.99 for non-commercial use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. IAR Embedded Workbench<\/h2>\n\n\n
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This is truly a professional powerhouse. Practically an entire system. Which means \u2013 it isn\u2019t free. IAR has its own compiler and its own debugger. On their site they boast that their tools are the best on the market. It also offers static code analysis, e.g., compliant with the MISRA C standard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As befits a professional tool \u2013 what matters is performance. You won\u2019t find bells and whistles and fancy animations here. The IDE looks like it was pulled straight out of Windows 98.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A beginner is unlikely to go for such a tool, but you might encounter it while working at some company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

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Summary<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

The question: which one to choose? Unfortunately, I won\u2019t answer that for you. But I think the survey results and my description of each tool will help you decide. I encourage you to try the IDEs at the top of the list. For example, those that have all the tools and plugins for STM32 microcontrollers built in from the start. They\u2019re very good for beginners. You don\u2019t have to struggle with installing and configuring those plugins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s worth mentioning that most of the IDEs presented here can work in a dark theme. I believe this is a must-have function of an IDE in a programmer\u2019s work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t feel confident during installation and configuration of the environment, I have great news for you. I created an e-book especially for you in which I show how to install the IDE and write your first program on the popular, inexpensive board with the STM32F103C8T6. In it I use number one from today\u2019s list, i.e., SW4STM32.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To receive the e-book, sign up for my newsletter below (content in Polish).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Many beginners puzzle over what the best IDE for STM32 is. On the Internet, as is always the case, opinions are divided. Some will recommend an all-in-one tool costing thousands of dollars \u201cbecause it\u2019s the best and the others are junk.\u201d Others will say that an IDE is an unnecessary […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3182,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[176,174,177],"class_list":["post-4325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stm32","tag-programming","tag-stm32","tag-stm32cubemx"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/msalamon.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/msalamon.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/msalamon.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/msalamon.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/msalamon.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4325"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/msalamon.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4325\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4435,"href":"https:\/\/msalamon.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4325\/revisions\/4435"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/msalamon.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3182"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/msalamon.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/msalamon.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/msalamon.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}