MediaTek LinkIt™ Smart 7688 Developer's Guide
© 2015, 2016 MediaTek Inc.
Page 27
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3.
Programming Environment Guide
This chapter introduces the:
•
Operating system used on the platform
•
Programming environment offered on the LinkIt Smart 7688 development platform
•
Different programming models and how they are applied to the development boards
•
Network environment available for Wi-Fi communication with the boards
•
Methodologies for creating applications in C/C++, Python and Node.js.
3.1.
Platform operating system
The LinkIt Smart 7688 development platform uses the
open-source embedded Linux
operating system, which was originally developed for embedded devices such as wireless routers.
Key features of OpenWrt include:
1)
Comprehensive network control functions,
2)
Fully writable file system, with package management.
3)
Rich and extendable feature set, there are over 3,400 packages available and number that
continues to grow.
3.2.
Programming Environment Overview
LinkIt Smart 7688 development platform offer an OpenWrt Linux environment. It supports
development in native C/C++ and the high-level language Python and JavaScript (using Node.js).
With native applications, you can create drivers, frameworks and system applications for devices
that require optimal performance. The high-level language development options enable you to
build prototypes quickly.
Since LinkIt Smart 7688 doesn’t have a display, you need to develop the high level programs
remotely in a separate computer, conventionally called the host platform. Majority of the editing
and development activities are performed on the host platform, the resulting programs are then
transferred to LinkIt Smart 7688 for deployment and execution, the target platform.
The mechanisms you can use during the development cycle are described briefly later in this
chapter. Table 9shows an overview of the LinkIt Smart 7688 programming languages and their
related development environment.
Programming
language
Tools and libraries
Applications
Host platforms
C/C++
Cross compilation
toolchain
System programming
•
OS X
•
Linux
Python
Python runtime on
LinkIt Smart 7688
•
Prototyping
•
Network
•
Arduino bridge
library
•
OS X
•
Linux
•
Windows
Node.js
Node.js runtime on
•
Prototyping
•
OS X
