STEP 4 - THE DEVELOPMENT CYCLE

The process for writing an application is often described as a development cycle—as it is rare that all the steps from design to implementation can be done flawlessly the first time. More often code is written, tested and then modified frequently in order to produce an application that performs correctly.

The Integrated Development Environment (IDE) enables the embedded systems design engineer to progress through this cycle without the distraction of switching among an array of tools. By using MPLAB^® IDE, all the functions are integrated, allowing the engineer to concentrate on completing the application without the interruption of separate tools and different modes of operation.

The IDE is a “wrapper” that coordinates all the tools from a single graphical user interface – usually automatically. For instance, once code is written, it can be converted to executable instructions and downloaded into a microcontroller to see how it works. In this process multiple tools are needed: an editor to write the code, a project manager to organize files and settings, a compiler or assembler to convert the source code to machine code, and some sort of hardware or software that either connects to a target microcontroller or simulates the operation of a microcontroller.

The faster the designer can traverse this loop, the quicker the application will be completed and ready to ship. This loop will be followed many times, for typos found in writing code, when bugs arise in the implementation, as optimizations are realized, and as the performance of the application is adjusted. MPLAB IDE allows the designer to move quickly between these various phases of development, resulting in a shorter time to market for the application.