Bare Metal Raspberry Pi
FreeGuide to bare metal development on Raspberry Pi
FreeFree tier
About Bare Metal Raspberry Pi
A detailed blog post by Taylor Petrick (2016) documenting the process of setting up a Raspberry Pi for bare metal development—running custom ARM code without an operating system. The guide covers hardware configuration (serial cable, ethernet boot), bootloader setup (U-Boot), and practical tips for debugging and iterative development, drawing on the author's experience in a university real-time operating systems course.
Key Features
Step-by-step setup for bare metal Raspberry Pi development
Serial cable based debugging via UART
Ethernet boot configuration to avoid SD card swapping
Bootloader (U-Boot) usage for loading custom binaries
Focus on ARM system programming without an operating system
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Enables remote code updates over Ethernet, reducing SD card wear
- Simpler debugging via serial port compared to keyboard/display setup
- Allows development at home with minimal hardware (Pi, serial cable, ethernet)
- Practical guide based on real coursework experience
Cons
- Requires additional hardware (serial cable, ethernet cable) beyond basic Pi setup
- Not suitable for beginners unfamiliar with embedded systems or ARM assembly
- Raspberry Pi boot process is closed-source and complex to understand
- No downloadable code or repository included in the guide (planned for future)
Best For
Developing real-time operating systems (RTOS) on Raspberry PiLearning ARM assembly and low-level embedded programmingRunning custom bare metal code for research or hobby projectsTesting school coursework on RTOS without lab hardware constraints
FAQ
What hardware is needed for bare metal development on Raspberry Pi?
An SD card with compiled code and a power supply are the minimum. For efficient development, a serial cable (UART) and an ethernet cable are recommended to avoid swapping the SD card and to enable debugging.
How does the Raspberry Pi boot process work for bare metal?
The GPU boots first, then jumps to the boot code on the SD card which eventually runs the binary file (kernel.img by default). The boot process is closed-source. Alternative file paths can be specified in config.txt.
Why use a serial cable instead of a keyboard and display?
Interfacing with peripheral devices (keyboard, display) adds complexity. The Pi's UART over a serial port provides a simpler communication channel for debugging and output.