NXP MCX MCUs and IDEs Cut Development Time

Development boards, such as NXP's FRDM platform for MCX A series MCUs, are revolutionizing embedded systems by integrating components for prototyping and innovation in the IoT landscape. These technologies streamline development, enhance flexibility, and reduce costs, enabling greater focus on software development while addressing complex challenges.

- Mónica Cid

Development boards are an integral part of developing and testing for embedded systems. As more devices in industrial facilities, the home, and buildings become connected to the Internet of Things (IoT), the need for streamlined and cost-efficient ways to design and innovate new technology has skyrocketed.

It is no secret that spending time testing connections on a breadboard, or worse, soldering, could cause massive headaches and undue stress when a developer's time could be better spent coding. Electronics development has evolved significantly, from the complexities of single-board computers to the user-friendly convenience of development boards. Development boards have integrated essential components like microcontrollers, power supplies, and pre-programmed functionalities onto a single, compact platform. This shift has democratized electronics development, making it faster, more affordable, and easier for a wider range of creators to learn. To further boost developer efficiency, NXP's FRDM development boards [1] as shown in Figure 1 come with an MCX MCU, a standard form factor and headers, easy access to the MCU's I/Os, and an on-board debugger, which makes it ready to use.

NXP's MCX portfolio, which includes the MCX A series, is part of the MCUXpresso Developer Experience and has many ready-to-use tools for engineers, such as its MCUXpresso IDE. NXP's enhanced FRDM boards allow for faster prototyping while also offering flexibility and scalability, not just from MCX A microcontrollers but across the entire MCX portfolio.

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