Bare Metal Development
Bare metal development is a programming approach where software runs directly on hardware without an operating system or other abstraction layers. It involves writing low-level code that interacts directly with processor registers, memory, and peripherals, typically using assembly or C. This method is essential for embedded systems, firmware, bootloaders, and real-time applications where minimal overhead and direct hardware control are critical.
Developers should learn bare metal development when working on embedded systems, IoT devices, automotive electronics, or any project requiring deterministic performance and direct hardware access. It's crucial for bootloader creation, firmware development, and real-time operating systems where OS overhead is unacceptable. This skill is also valuable for understanding computer architecture fundamentals and debugging low-level system issues.