We help embedded engineering teams

to build better embedded software

with the right tools, expert guidance ...

and trusted support

🟡 Debug and Trace

Debug and Trace Embedded Systems
Analyze Errors and Unexpected Behavior

Debug and Trace help developers understand how embedded software behaves on the target and investigate problems during development and integration. Developers analyze program flow, locate errors, record runtime behavior, and measure performance and resource consumption. Modern debug and trace tools provide detailed insight into complex real-time systems and support systematic root cause analysis.

A Typical Embedded Debugging Workflow

1️⃣

Load Firmware onto the Target Hardware

  • Flash the current software version
  • Establish a connection to the debugger (e.g., J-Link)
  • Start the debug session

2️⃣

Analyze Program Execution

  • Set breakpoints and step through the code
  • Monitor variables, registers, and memory
  • Trace the call stack and program flow

3️⃣

Locate Errors

  • Determine the causes of crashes, hard faults, or exceptions
  • Detect initialization and timing errors
  • Investigate race conditions and synchronization issues

4️⃣

Record Runtime Behavior (Trace)

  • Record program execution without pausing the system
  • Analyze task switches, interrupts, and events
  • Visualize time-critical sequences

5️⃣

Measure Performance

  • Determine function execution times
  • Analyze CPU utilization and task runtimes
  • Monitor memory and stack usage

6️⃣

Derive Optimizations

  • Identify bottlenecks
  • Improve real-time behavior
  • Optimize memory usage and runtime
  • Fix bugs and re-verify changes
Find out more about the Right Tools you may need for your Project

J-Link Debug Probes,
J-Trace Probes
Debugger & Analyzer
Adapters

© 2026 Carnica Technology. All Rights Reserved. Contact Us · Legal & Privacy