README.md

THIS REPO IS NOT DEVELOPED FURTHER

SEE NEW ARDUINO CORE DEVELOPMENTS AT https://github.com/CommunityGD32Cores/ArduinoCore-GD32

GD32 Arduino Core

A Arduino core implementation for some GD32 type chips, at first focusing on GD32F1x0 type chips.

Movatition

Why create our own Arduino core?

• Some GD32 chips are drop-in-replacements of STM32 chips, e.g., the STM32F103 and GD32F103
  • the GD32 chips sometimes have extended capabilities though, e.g. running at a higher clock speed due to one bit more in the PLL multiplier registers
  • the standard Arduino STM32 cores such as https://github.com/stm32duino/Arduino_Core_STM32 and https://github.com/rogerclarkmelbourne/Arduino_STM32/ should technically work with it
• Some GD32 chips are not close enough clones / different chips compared to existing STM32 ones
  • e.g., GD32F170, GD32F190, ...
  • for these, no Arduino core exists of yet (that is publically known). Though luck if you wanted to use Arduino with them.
  • => we can fill a gap here for these chips
• Still, using the above Arduino STM32 core with some enabled features is strictly speaking legally forbidden, due to the core using STM32 middleware USB libraries here, which has a license stating it may only run on STM32 parts. Running it on GD32 chips violates that.
  • (from https://www.st.com/SLA0044) "This software or any part thereof, including modifications and/or derivative works of this software, must be used and execute solely and exclusively on or in combination with a microcontroller or microprocessor device manufactured by or for STMicroelectronics."
  • => We can make a new Arduino core free of these licensing issues by carefully choosing the included (or non-included / self-written) code

Collaborating

Interested in collaborating? Join our dedicated Discord channel for this at https://discord.gg/59kf4JxsRM.

State of the project

This project is currently in a planing phase with no code written yet.

A custom dev board has been designed to make development uniform / reproducable.

ToDo List (subjecto to change)

• Hardware Design
  • Design custom PCB for development
  • Submit for manufacturing
  • Get PCBs back
  • Distribute to devs
  • Verify and test PCBs (with e.g. simple SPL firmwares)
• Software Design
  • Decide on questions that influence the core design, e.g.
    • Depend on / call into SPL framework by GigaDevice, or write own baremetal drivers?
      • flash savings and customizability vs simplicity / development speed
      • also has implications on used licence?
    • PlatformIO integration first, Arduino IDE integration later?
    • Software USB implementation for chips not supporting USB?
    • What exact chips need a custom Arduino core because they are not clones of some STM32 chip (and thus https://github.com/stm32duino/Arduino_Core_STM32 applies)
    • etc. etc.
  • decide on possible project license
    • different ones for different parts of code (external and internal)?
    • Arduino Core API (https://github.com/arduino/ArduinoCore-API/) is LGPL I think?

Updates / History

31.05.2021:

Initial contact and thoughts about an Arduino core implementation with @kemotz via Email.

02.06.2021:

Creation of the Github project and the discord channel.

10.06.2021:

A custom dev board has been designed and is in production. The repo with the files for it is at https://github.com/kemotz/GD32F1x0-dev-brd.