This repository contains example projects for microcontrollers with Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) implemented through a Raspberry Pi-based self-hosted GitHub Actions runner.

This code accompanies the blog post: CI Server for embedded systems based on Raspberry Pi

This repository demonstrates how to implement automated testing for embedded systems using a Raspberry Pi as a self-hosted GitHub Actions runner. The examples include simple LED blinking applications for both Arduino and STM32 platforms, with comprehensive unit and acceptance testing.

The setup allows for:

• Running unit tests on the code directly on the Raspberry Pi
• Compiling and flashing firmware to actual hardware
• Running acceptance tests to verify hardware behavior
• Providing automated feedback through GitHub's pull request system

.
├── .devcontainer       # Development container configuration
├── .github             # GitHub-related files
│   └── workflows       # GitHub Actions workflows for CI/CD
├── arduino             # Arduino-based projects
│   └── blink_led       # LED blinking example for Arduino
├── stm32cube           # STM32Cube-based projects
│   └── blink_led       # LED blinking example for STM32
└── test                # Automated tests
    ├── arduino         # Tests for Arduino projects
    │   └── blink_led   # Tests for Arduino example
    │       ├── acceptance  # Acceptance tests
    │       └── unit        # Unit tests
    └── stm32cube       # Tests for STM32 projects
        └── blink_led   # Tests for STM32 example
            ├── acceptance  # Acceptance tests
            └── unit        # Unit tests

• Arduino: The arduino directory contains projects developed for the Arduino platform. The example project blink_led demonstrates a simple LED blinking application using structured code with separate .cpp and .h files.

• STM32: The stm32cube directory includes projects developed with the STM32Cube framework. The blink_led example is adapted for STM32 microcontrollers, demonstrating the same functionality but using the STM32 HAL libraries.

• Unit Tests: Located in the unit subdirectories, these tests verify the internal logic of the code using the CppUTest framework. They use mocks to simulate hardware interactions, allowing for testing without physical hardware.

• Acceptance Tests: Found in the acceptance subdirectories, these tests validate the behavior of the code on actual hardware. They use Python with pytest to verify that the LED blinks at the expected rate.

• GitHub Actions: The .github/workflows directory contains workflow configurations that automatically run tests when code is pushed or a pull request is created. These workflows use the self-hosted runner on the Raspberry Pi.

• Development Container: The .devcontainer directory provides a consistent development environment using containers, ensuring all developers work with the same tools and dependencies.

To use this repository with your own CI setup:

1. Set up a Raspberry Pi with the necessary tools as described in the blog post
2. Configure a self-hosted GitHub Actions runner on your Raspberry Pi
3. Connect your development board (NUCLEO-F401 or compatible) to the Raspberry Pi
4. Fork or clone this repository and push to your own GitHub account
5. Create a pull request to see the CI workflows in action

This setup was specifically designed for educational environments to provide automated feedback to students in embedded systems programming courses. It allows instructors to:

1. Define test cases that verify student code meets requirements
2. Provide immediate feedback when students submit their work via pull requests
3. Ensure consistent evaluation of code quality and functionality

This project is available under the MIT License.