Embedded Coder

Generate C and C++ code optimized for embedded systems

Embedded Coder^® generates readable, compact, and fast C and C++ code for embedded processors used in mass production. It extends MATLAB Coder™ and Simulink Coder™ with advanced optimizations for precise control of the generated functions, files, and data. These optimizations improve code efficiency and facilitate integration with legacy code, data types, and calibration parameters. You can incorporate a third-party development tool to build an executable for turnkey deployment on your embedded system or rapid prototyping board.

Embedded Coder offers built-in support for AUTOSAR, MISRA C^®, and ASAP2 software standards. It also provides traceability reports, code documentation, and automated software verification to support DO-178, IEC 61508, and ISO 26262 software development. Embedded Coder code is portable, and can be compiled and executed on any processor. In addition, Embedded Coder offers support packages with advanced optimizations and device drivers for specific hardware.

Learn how companies are generating production code with Embedded Coder for controls, signal processing, image processing and computer vision, and machine learning applications.

Get Started:

Configuring for Code Generation
Selecting Targets
Working with Custom Data
Optimizing and Packaging Code
Commenting, Tracing, and Documenting Code
Executing and Verifying Code

What Is Embedded Coder?

SUPPORT PACKAGE

Component Deployment Guidelines for Embedded Coder

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Configuring for Code Generation

To configure code generation settings for Embedded Coder^®, you use the MATLAB Coder app for MATLAB^® or Embedded Coder Quick Start for Simulink. You can also configure each setting directly using MATLAB commands and scripts.

From the MATLAB Coder app, you can:

Generate code for your MATLAB files and functions
Select your processor and code generation output
Choose Embedded Coder optimizations

From the Embedded Coder Quick Start for Simulink, you can:

Generate code for your Simulink models and subsystems
Select your processor and code generation output
Choose Embedded Coder to optimize for RAM or execution speed

Coder Summit: How to Generate Production Code in 5 Minutes (4:30)

Coder Summit: C++ Class Modeling and Code Generation with Simulink and Embedded Coder (3:43)

Embedded Coder App

Using Embedded Coder Quick Start for jumpstart production code generation from Simulink.

Selecting Targets

Embedded Coder uses configuration objects and system target files to translate your MATLAB code and Simulink models into production-quality source code and executables.

For MATLAB, you specify one of the following output targets:

MEX-file
C/C++ static library
C/C++ executable

For Simulink, you specify one of the ready-to-run configurations, which include:

Embedded Real-Time Target — Generates ANSI/ISO C, C++, and encapsulated C++ code with floating-point and fixed-point data for efficient real-time execution on virtually any production processor

AUTOSAR Target — Generates C code and run-time interfaces that support development of AUTOSAR software components (requires AUTOSAR Blockset)

Shared Library Target — Generates a shared library version of your code for host platform execution, either as a Windows^® dynamic link library (.dll) file or a UNIX^® shared object (.so) file

In addition, MathWorks and third parties offer MATLAB add-ons that extend Embedded Coder to support specific hardware including ARM^®, Intel^®, NXP™, STMicroelectronics^®, and Texas Instruments™.

Coder Summit: Introducing AUTOSAR Blockset for Classic and Adaptive Applications (4:34)

TI C2000 Support

10 Best Practices for Deploying AUTOSAR Using Simulink

Using hardware support packages to quickly deploy generated code on embedded devices.

Working with Custom Data

Embedded Coder enables you to define and control how the model data appears in the generated code to facilitate software integration.

For MATLAB code, Embedded Coder supports all MATLAB Coder data definitions including fixed-point objects and predefined storage classes.

For Simulink models, Embedded Coder supports the following data dictionary and specification capabilities:

Embedded Coder Dictionary — Lets you view and customize code definitions including function interfaces, storage classes, and memory sections

Simulink data object — Provides predefined storage classes, including constant, volatile, exported global, imported global, define directive, structure, bit field (including bit-packed structure), and get and set access methods

Module packaging data object — Provides preconfigured attributes for advanced data objects typically used in mass production, such as memory segments to calibrate or tune lookup tables

User data type — Lets you create abstract types for complex data so you can precisely control how model data appears in the generated code, interface with any legacy data, and augment or replace Simulink built-in types

Embedded Coder gives you access to ASAP2 data exchange files in Simulink, enabling you to export model data with complex data definitions using the ASAP2 standard. You can modify the built-in capabilities to produce other data exchange mechanisms.

Coder Summit: Embedded Coder Data, Function, and File Customization (3:21)

Embedded Coder Dictionary

Using Embedded Coder Dictionary to define and control how the models and data appear in generated code.

Optimizing and Packaging Code

Using Embedded Coder, you can control function boundaries, preserve expressions, and apply optimizations on multiple blocks to further reduce code size. Data is exchanged with the generated code via global variables or function arguments. You can trace the generated code to blocks and signals in your model.

Embedded Coder options for generating code from MATLAB code and Simulink models enable you to:

Generate processor-specific code for math functions and operators
Reuse code for exporting to legacy or external environments
Eliminate unnecessary initialization, termination, logging, and error-handling code
Remove floating-point code from integer-only applications

Additional Embedded Coder optimization and configuration options are available for Simulink models, enabling you to:

Generate code variants using macros for preprocessor compilation
Control the format of each generated file
Determine how global data is defined and referenced
Specify the contents and placement of comments

Coder Summit: SIMD Code Generation (3:41)

Data Type Optimization (2:28)

Optimize Code for ARM Cortex-M Processors

SIMD code generation from Simulink model.

Commenting, Tracing, and Documenting Code

Embedded Coder offers several capabilities for examining generated code for your MATLAB files and functions or your Simulink models and subsystems. Using these capabilities, you can:

Generate a code report describing the code modules, function interfaces, and static code metrics
Control identifier formats for generated global data, data types, and functions
Include MATLAB code as comments in generated code, including function help text

With Simulink, Embedded Coder also provides the ability to insert high-level requirements as code comments with links to the requirement source (requires Requirements Toolbox™). The code report for Simulink code generation also includes a code interface description, traceability report, and display of generated source files and code. Bidirectional links exist between the model and generated code, making it easy to navigate between every line of code and its corresponding Simulink model element, including subsystems, blocks, MATLAB functions and code, and Stateflow^® charts and transitions.

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DO-178 Certification Advisory Service

Code View

Simulink code generation report highlighting bidirectional traceability between algorithm and implementation.

Executing and Verifying Code

Embedded Coder enables you to incorporate generated code into your code execution environment.

With MATLAB, the code generated from Embedded Coder executes using the same execution framework as provided by MATLAB Coder.

With Simulink, Embedded Coder significantly extends the real-time execution framework provided by Simulink Coder. By default, the code can be executed with or without a real-time operating system (RTOS) and in single-tasking, multitasking, multicore, or asynchronous mode. You can also verify the code execution results using Embedded Coder for software-in-the-loop (SIL) and processor-in-the-loop (PIL) testing. Simulink Test™ and Simulink Coverage help automate test execution, result comparison, and coverage analysis. Code execution profiling analysis is also supported.

Coder Summit: Dynamic Code Verification and Analysis: SIL, PIL, and External Mode (2:10)

Developing Embedded Targets Advisory Service

SIL/PIL Manager

Generating a Main Program

Embedded Coder generates an extensible main program based on information you provide for deploying the code in your real-time environment. This capability lets you generate and build a complete customized executable from your model.

Executing Multirate, Multitask, and Multicore Code

Embedded Coder generates single-rate or multirate code using periodic sample times specified in the model. For multirate, multitasking models, it employs a strategy called rate grouping that generates separate functions for the base rate task and for each subrate task in the model. You can also use Simulink Concurrent Execution modeling to produce multithreaded code for multicore processing.

Performing SIL and PIL Testing

Embedded Coder automates execution of generated code in Simulink for SIL testing or on the embedded target for PIL testing using Simulink simulation modes or S-function blocks. Simulink Test™ helps automate test execution and comparison of test results to simulation results from the original model. Structural code coverage analysis to measure test completeness can be performed with Simulink Coverage or with integration with third-party tools. Code profiling analysis provides execution time on host or target processors.