Embedded Development Challenges

Embedded development — the development of software that controls various "non-computer" devices or machines — can be challenging. But the right embedded development tools can help you solve those challenges.

Many embedded software and hardware development teams have strict compliance requirements. They need to demonstrate compliance with coding standards and functional safety standards.

They also need to demonstrate traceability, from requirements to source code to test cases to bugs to bug resolution. 

Plus, hardware and software teams work on increasingly complex codebases and repositories. They need to be able to collaborate effectively — and that requires a single source of truth.

Handling all of this is tricky. Unless you have the right embedded development tools.

Image Solution Embedded Systems Digital Assets

Embedded Development Tools From Perforce

Solve complex embedded development challenges with Perforce. Our solutions help you tackle challenges like:

Compliance

Perforce static analyzers make compliance easier for embedded development teams and improve overall code quality.

Static code analysis tools find potential vulnerabilities in code, as you code. And, Perforce offers two of the best static code analyzers available — Helix QAC and Klocwork.

These tools ensure your code complies with coding standards such as MISRA. They're even certified for functional safety standards. With static code analyzers from Perforce, you know your code is safe, secure, and reliable.

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Traceability

Perforce's ALM tool and IPLM tool help embedded development teams achieve traceability across the entire embedded system development lifecycle.

ALM tools help you manage requirements, tests, and issues. And Perforce's tool — Helix ALM — provides end-to-end traceability. It even automatically generates a traceability matrix.

IPLM tools help you manage design and IP assets. Perforce's tool — Helix IPLM — enables traceability from requirements and creation of the bill of materials through design and verification.

Get Started with Helix ALM

Get Started with Helix IPLM

Complexity

Perforce version control and IPLM platform accelerate embedded development and increase IP reuse.

Helix Core enables you to manage source code, large binary files, and digital assets in a single repository. This improves collaboration between hardware and software teams.

Helix IPLM helps you manage rapidly growing complexity in system-on-chip (SoC) design. By enabling IP reuse, it helps accelerate time-to-market, even as design data sizes increase. 

Get Started with Helix Core

Get Started with Helix IPLM

Why NVIDIA Trusts Perforce Embedded Development Tools

NVIDIA counts on Perforce for a single source of truth across their embedded development lifecycle. Watch the video to see why.

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Ensuring Embedded Code Compliance

Quality Is Critical In Embedded Code

That’s why many embedded developers are required to use a coding standard. Using a coding standard improves product quality.

A common example is MISRA, an embedded C and C++ coding standard. It includes coding rules that developers — particularly in the embedded industry — need to comply with. And using a static code analyzer makes it easy to comply with C and C++ coding standards.

📘 Related White Paper: How to Improve Embedded Systems Security

Helix QAC and Klocwork automatically verify that the code is compliant, and identifies potential defects and vulnerabilities — ensuring that code is high quality, secure, and reliable.

Code compliance in Helix QAC

Managing Embedded System Requirements & Embedded Testing

End-to-end traceability across embedded development.

Traceability in Helix ALM

Traceability across product lifecycles is important, especially when it comes to proving compliance. Tracking and linking all changes, requirements, and tests is key to effective traceability.

[Related White Paper: Effective Traceability For Embedded Systems Development]

Embedded systems requirements include functional safety requirements. Companies in this industry include automotive, aerospace, and medical devices. Within these companies, there’s no room for error when it comes to functional safety. Lives are at stake.

Embedded testing verifies that these requirements were met. Tracking tests and documenting results is typically required for compliance.

Helix ALM creates end-to-end traceability for you. You’ll easily track requirements, tests, and their results. You’ll know when compliance requirements are met. And the tool will take care of the documentation for compliance for you.

Maintaining a Single Source of Truth

Stop Searching — Get Everything You Need In One Place

Helix Core and Helix IPLM together help you manage your increasingly complex codebase, allowing teams to more easily find and reuse IP.

Helix Core manages all of the design data, Cadence libraries, CAD files, simulations, and artifacts are securely in one single source of truth.

Helix IPLM ensures complete visibility into the state and usage of IP from the moment it enters the system until an SoC is delivered. It also manages the IP bill of materials (BoM) across your organization.

This combined solution makes designing more efficient, predictable, and higher quality, helping you meet time-to-market demands. 

That's why 9 of the top 10 embedded systems companies use Helix Core and Helix IPLM.

📘 Related White Paper: Versioning Best Practices For Embedded Systems Development

Detailed File History in Helix P4V

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