Flipper Debug

Debug Flipper Zero applications and firmware issues using available tools and techniques.

Context

• Flipper Zero runs on STM32WB55 microcontroller
• Uses FreeRTOS operating system
• Limited debugging capabilities compared to desktop development
• Serial console available via CLI

Debugging Tools

1. Serial CLI:

   • Connect via scripts/serial_cli.py
   • Use log command to view system logs
   • free command shows memory usage
   • ps shows running processes

2. Log System:

   FURI_LOG_E(TAG, "Error message");
   FURI_LOG_W(TAG, "Warning message");
   FURI_LOG_I(TAG, "Info message");
   FURI_LOG_D(TAG, "Debug message");
   

3. Memory Debugging:

   • Use memmgr_heap_printf_free_blocks() to check heap
   • Monitor stack usage with furi_thread_get_stack_space()
   • Check for memory leaks with allocation tracking

Common Issues and Solutions

1. App Crashes:

   • Check for null pointer dereferences
   • Verify proper memory allocation/deallocation
   • Ensure GUI elements are properly cleaned up
   • Check stack overflow (increase stack_size in application.fam)

2. GUI Issues:

   • Verify view_dispatcher is properly configured
   • Check scene transitions and cleanup
   • Ensure proper event handling
   • Validate input parameters

3. Hardware Issues:

   • Check GPIO pin configurations
   • Verify SPI/I2C initialization
   • Test with known working hardware
   • Use oscilloscope for signal analysis

Debugging Process

1. Reproduce the issue consistently
2. Add logging at key points
3. Check memory usage and leaks
4. Use CLI tools for system state
5. Test with minimal code to isolate problem
6. Review similar working code in codebase

Hardware Debugging

• Use SWD debugger with OpenOCD
• ST-Link or Black Magic Probe supported
• GDB debugging available with proper setup
• Check scripts/debug/ for configuration files