Tools¶

SF32 development uses more than a compiler. A practical firmware workflow needs download tools, serial monitors, crash analysis, trace capture, image conversion, RF/audio tuning utilities, and factory programming procedures.

This page is a tool map, not a replacement for each tool's manual. Use it to decide which tool belongs in your workflow and what SiFli should document next.

Tool Map¶

Table: Tool Map

Tool	Use
`sftool`	Cross-platform SF32 download / flashing tool used by OpenSiFli Zephyr and Arduino flows.
SDK UART download scripts	First-run flashing scripts generated by SiFli-SDK builds.
CodeKit actions	VS Code setup, build, flash, and monitor actions.
`AssertDump`	Crash/assert dump analysis.
`SiFli_Trace` / `UsartServer`	Trace and UART log capture workflows.
`Impeller`	SiFli flashing/programming workflow documented in SiFli tooling.
eZip / image tooling	Asset conversion for compressed graphics pipelines.
RF/audio/factory tools	Production calibration, test, and tuning workflows.

Flashing Tools¶

Use SDK-generated UART scripts for first bring-up because they are produced by the build you just made. Add sftool when you need:

A consistent command-line flashing tool across workflows.
Zephyr west flash integration.
ArduinoCore-zephyr upload behavior.
Automation in CI, factory, or regression testing.

Keep both paths documented in your project until the team standardizes on one.

Logging and Trace Tools¶

For normal development, a serial terminal is enough. For hard failures, capture structured logs and crash data:

Save a full boot log from reset.
Save the exact ELF/map/symbol files matching the flashed image.
Record whether RT-Thread shell, Zephyr shell, or Arduino debug mode was active.
Use SiFli diagnostic tools for assert dumps and trace capture when available.

Asset and Production Tools¶

Display-heavy products should document the asset conversion path, especially when eZip compression or hardware-accelerated graphics are involved. Production products should document RF/audio/factory utilities separately from developer flashing tools so factory operators do not depend on developer-only commands.

Tool Selection Checklist¶

Table: Tool Selection Checklist

Need	Tooling direction
First SDK flash	SDK UART download script.
Cross-platform scripted flash	`sftool`.
VS Code build and monitor	CodeKit.
Crash after boot	Serial log plus assert dump tooling.
Long trace capture	Trace/UART server tooling.
Display asset pipeline	eZip/image tooling.
Factory programming	SiFli production/factory utilities plus locked procedures.

Practical Advice¶

Learn one reliable flash path before adding a second.
Save known-good serial logs for every board.
Use SDK-generated scripts for first bring-up.
Use sftool when you need repeatable command-line flashing across Zephyr, Arduino, or automation.
Add crash-analysis tooling before the first hard-to-reproduce bug.

SiFli Team Should Add¶

One page per official tool with install, command examples, supported OSes, and common errors.
A unified "which flashing tool should I use?" decision table.
Links from crash tutorials to AssertDump and trace tools.
Version compatibility between tools, SDK releases, and boards.
A factory-safe programming flow that is separate from developer experimentation.

Auto-generated content

This page was compiled/drafted without an existing source document. Verify technical claims against SiFli's official documentation before relying on them.