How many programming methods are there for the STM32G431RBT6 microcontroller?

The STM32G431RBT6 microcontroller (based on Arm® Cortex®-M4 core) supports multiple programming methods, which can be broadly categorized as follows:

1. STM32CubeIDE / STM32CubeMX + HAL/LL Libraries

• Method: Using ST's official HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) or LL (Low Layer) libraries.

• Tools:

  • STM32CubeMX (GUI-based pin & peripheral configuration)

  • STM32CubeIDE (Eclipse-based IDE with debugging support)

• Advantages:

  • Quick development with auto-generated code.

  • Hardware-agnostic for easy portability.

• Disadvantages:

  • Slight overhead compared to direct register access.

2. Direct Register Access (Bare-Metal)

• Method: Manipulating registers directly without HAL/LL.

• Tools:

  • Keil MDK, IAR Embedded Workbench, or STM32CubeIDE.

• Advantages:

  • Maximum performance & minimal overhead.

  • Full control over peripherals.

• Disadvantages:

  • Requires deep understanding of the reference manual.

  • More time-consuming.

3. CMSIS (Cortex Microcontroller Software Interface Standard)

• Method: Using ARM’s standardized APIs for Cortex-M.

• Tools: Any IDE (Keil, IAR, STM32CubeIDE).

• Advantages:

  • Efficient, standardized access to core functions (NVIC, SysTick, etc.).

  • Works well with HAL/LL or bare-metal.

• Disadvantages:

  • Still requires manual peripheral configuration.

4. Mbed OS (For Rapid Prototyping)

• Method: Using ARM Mbed (online/offline).

• Tools: Mbed Studio / Mbed CLI.

• Advantages:

  • Easy for beginners.

  • Supports RTOS, networking, and middleware.

• Disadvantages:

  • Higher abstraction, less control over hardware.

5. Arduino-like (STM32Duino / PlatformIO)

• Method: Using Arduino-style programming.

• Tools:

  • PlatformIO (VS Code extension)

  • STM32Duino (Arduino Core for STM32)

• Advantages:

  • Simple for Arduino users.

  • Large library ecosystem.

• Disadvantages:

  • Not optimized for high-performance applications.

6. RTOS-Based (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, etc.)

• Method: Using a Real-Time OS for multitasking.

• Tools: STM32CubeIDE (FreeRTOS support built-in).

• Advantages:

  • Better task management.

  • Useful for complex applications.

• Disadvantages:

  • Adds complexity for simple projects.

7. MicroPython / CircuitPython

• Method: Python scripting on STM32.

• Tools: OpenMV IDE, Thonny, or command-line.

• Advantages:

  • Fast prototyping without deep C knowledge.

• Disadvantages:

  • Slower than native C/C++.

  • Limited access to advanced peripherals.

8. External Bootloader (UART, USB, CAN, I2C, etc.)

• Method: Flashing via a bootloader (not just SWD/JTAG).

• Tools:

  • STM32CubeProgrammer

  • Custom bootloader (DFU, UART, etc.)

• Advantages:

  • No debugger needed for updates.

• Disadvantages:

  • Requires bootloader setup.

Summary Table

Recommended Approach

• For beginners: STM32CubeIDE + HAL (easiest).

• For performance-critical: Bare-metal or LL.

• For Arduino users: PlatformIO + STM32Duino.

• For IoT/RTOS: FreeRTOS or Zephyr.

• For Python scripting: MicroPython.