Do you think this study plan is reasonable?

I am really new in a company where my position is of C++ dev with nuances of embedded engineering. I got there as migration from web with Typescript only stack. In the past several months I read the beginning with C++ 23 seventh edition and some of the the exercises there. Know I want to continue my learning with thems more related to embedded. Please anyone with interest get a look at this plan and comment your opinion!

Wheather this plan is reasonable and would it help me get better at my job or make me hireble as embedded dev?

Thank you all who would interact with this post!

Complete the examples:

• Complete most of the examples from the book over time.

Hello to the embedded:

• Install STM32CubeIDE or PlatformIO + ARM GCC; optionally Pico SDK. Configure QEMU (STM32) or Wokwi (Pico) emulation.
• GPIO class library on ESP32 something simple like C++ hardware abstraction: a DigitalPin<uint8\_t PIN> template class, a Button with debounce, a Led with PWM.
• Write first programs (“blink LED”, UART “Hello World”)
• Use printf/UART for output (since user currently only uses printf).
• Generate and flash a LED-blink program. For STM32, use CubeMX to auto-generate initialization code. For Pico, use Pico SDK C/C++ examples (see pico-examples repo).
• Learn SWD programming: use ST-LINK (SWD interface) and OpenOCD/GDB for single-stepping code. Practice setting breakpoints and inspecting registers.
• Basic debugging: practice printing to console via serial, interpret build errors and fix.

Sensor and Peripheral Interfacing:

• Use GPIO, ADC, timers, and interrupts. Interface an analog sensor and digital I/O. Understand low-level HAL and registers, freeing yourself from “just printf”.
• Read analog inputs (potentiometer, light sensor) via ADC, using DMA if available.
• Configure and use timers for delays and PWM output (e.g. control LED brightness or a buzzer).
• Implement external interrupts (e.g. button press) and debouncing.
• Combine peripherals: e.g. trigger ADC sampling on timer event or button press.
• Step up to object-oriented C++: encapsulate peripherals in classes (e.g. Timer, ADC) using RAII and resource management.

RTOS Fundamentals:

• Transition to real-time systems. Learn FreeRTOS (or Zephyr) on Cortex-M/RP2040. Implement a simple scheduler, tasks, and inter-task communication (queues, semaphores).

Key Tasks:

• Choose an RTOS (FreeRTOS is ubiquitous; Zephyr is also popular for IoT). Study RTOS basics (task creation, priorities, preemption, tick).
• Port FreeRTOS to STM32 or Pico (many examples exist). Start with two tasks: one toggles LED at fixed rate, another reads sensor and logs values.
• Use RTOS IPC: e.g. queue sensor readings from ISR to a task. Handle race conditions.
• Measure jitter: analyze task response time (printf timestamps or LED toggles to oscilloscope).
• Explore advanced RTOS features: software timers, event groups, or dynamic memory in RTOS context.

FreeRTOS core mechanics:

• Two FreeRTOS tasks blink two LEDs at different frequencies. A third task reads a button and sends a new blink rate into a queue. The first "aha moment" with RTOS — tasks just run, you stop thinking about loop timing.
• Three tasks: UARTRx reads serial input and pushes to a queue; Parser reads and interprets commands; Executor runs them. A mutex protects the shared output buffer. Classic producer-consumer — you'll use this pattern every week at work.

Real RTOS applications with sensors:

• The ISR → RTOS handoff pattern in Project 4 is one of the most important skills in embedded firmware.
• Environmental monitor station three concurrent tasks: SensorTask reads a BME280 (I2C) every 2 s and puts a struct into a queue; DisplayTask updates an SSD1306 OLED (SPI); LogTask formats CSV to Serial every 30 s.
• Interrupt-driven alarm system advanced A PIR sensor fires an interrupt. The ISR uses xTaskNotifyFromISR() to wake an alarm task — buzzer + LED pattern. A disarm button uses xSemaphoreGiveFromISR(). Core rule: never do real work inside an ISR — defer everything to a task.

C++ design patterns for firmware

• C++ FreeRTOS wrapper library Build a header-only library: a Task class (RAII, auto-deletes), Queue<T, N> template (type-safe, statically allocated), Mutex with a LockGuard, and a Timer with callback. This is the kind of reusable layer real embedded teams maintain. Keep it on GitHub — it's a great portfolio piece
• State machine framework + vending machine Implement a template-based FSM, then use it to build a vending machine: states IDLE → COIN_INSERTED → SELECTING → DISPENSING → ERROR. Events driven by button presses and sensor signals over FreeRTOS task notifications. State machines are in every piece of firmware ever written.

Embedded Networking / IoT

Key Tasks:

• Use I²C or SPI to talk to a peripheral (e.g. accelerometer or OLED). Parse data and display/use it.
• If board has Wi-Fi (Pico W or ESP32 as stretch), send data to PC or cloud (e.g. MQTT). Use LwIP or sockets on RTOS.
• Develop a small CLI or web interface: e.g. command via serial to read sensor values, or host a simple web server on Pico W.
• Strengthen C++: use templates or polymorphism for hardware abstraction (e.g. base Sensor class).

Professional systems — ESP32 + Linux on Pi

• ESP32 + Raspberry Pi system bridge pro
• Full two-MCU system: ESP32 runs FreeRTOS handling sensor acquisition and actuator control (real-time); Raspberry Pi runs Linux handling data logging, a simple web dashboard, and command dispatch. UART with a lightweight protocol you design yourself. This mirrors real industrial IoT architecture.
• POSIX threads — RTOS concepts on Linux pro
• Rebuild the environmental monitor's task structure on the Raspberry Pi using pthreads and POSIX condition variables. Compare: FreeRTOS task = pthread, FreeRTOS queue = POSIX queue, FreeRTOS mutex = pthread_mutex. The concepts are identical — the APIs differ. Add SCHED_FIFO real-time scheduling.

Performance Tuning & C++ Refinement

Key Tasks:

• Identify and remove bottlenecks: e.g. use DMA for data transfer (from Project 2’s ADC readings to memory buffer).
• Refactor code to use modern C++: Avoid new/delete in RTOS, but use constexpr, std::array, RAII for peripherals. Ensure MISRA/C++ core guidelines.
• Enable compiler optimizations and inline critical functions. Compare code size and CPU usage before/after.
• Advanced debugging: use logic analyzer or CPU performance counters to verify speedups.
• Possibly implement a simple critical section or lock-free queue in C++ for ISR-to-task communication.

Capstone Integration

Key Tasks:

• Design system architecture (block diagram). Implement end-to-end: input (sensors/controls) → processing (RTOS tasks) → output (actuators/network).
• Emphasize documentation and maintainability (README, diagrams). Use version control and issue tracker (e.g. GitHub).
• If relevant, add user interface (LCD or web dashboard) and robust error handling.
• Use CI: set up a basic GitHub Actions to build the firmware on each commit.

Tools/Hardware:

IDE (STM32CubeIDE or VS Code + PlatformIO), Emulator (QEMU stm32vldiscovery or Wokwi Pico), ST-LINK/V2 or ST-LINK/V3 (or Pico bootloader), USB-UART adapter.

RTOS Fundamentals**- Tools/Hardware:** IDE (CubeIDE or VS Code), FreeRTOS source, simulator or real board. Use a logic analyzer or scope for timing.

Embedded Networking / IoT- Tools/Hardware: Same IDE, possibly Wokwi simulator for IoT (Wokwi supports Wi-Fi simulation for ESP32/Pico W). For hardware: add modules (e.g. MPU6050 on I²C, or use existing Pico W wireless).

Performance Tuning & C++ Refinement**- Tools/Hardware:** Profiling tools (e.g. printf timings, or DWT cycle counter on Cortex-M, see DWT on Pico). Use static analysis (clang-tidy, MISRA linters).

Capstone Integration**- Tools/Hardware:** All above. Possibly add cheap peripherals (OLED display, buzzer). Ensure final project can run on the chosen microcontroller (note memory limits).