Embedded C Interview Questions (FAQs 2023)
Embedded C is a variation of the C programming language specifically designed for programming microcontrollers and embedded systems. It allows for efficient use of limited resources and real-time performance. Embedded C is crucial in the development of a wide range of products, from consumer electronics to industrial control systems, as it enables the creation of software that can control the behavior of hardware in real-time. The widespread use of embedded systems in everyday devices highlights the importance of Embedded C as a key technology in modern electronics. Today in this article we will learn most frequently asked Embedded C interview questions and answers.
Best Embedded C Interview Questions and Answers
Can you explain the use of volatile keyword in Embedded C?
The volatile keyword is used to inform the compiler that a variable’s value may change at any time, and it should not optimize access to the variable.
How do you manage memory in an Embedded C program?
Memory in an Embedded C program can be managed by allocating and freeing memory dynamically using functions such as malloc() and free(), or by using static memory allocation.
What is the difference between function call by value and call by reference in Embedded C?
Function call by value passes a copy of the argument to the function, while call by reference passes a pointer to the argument, allowing the function to modify the original argument.
How do you debug an Embedded C program?
Embedded C programs can be debugged using hardware debugging tools such as JTAG or by using software debugging techniques such as printf() statements, breakpoints, and watchpoints.
Can you explain the difference between real-time and non-real-time systems?
A real-time system has well-defined and fixed time constraints, while a non-real-time system does not have strict timing requirements.
Can you explain the role of interrupt in Embedded C?
Interrupts are used in Embedded C to temporarily halt the current execution of a program and transfer control to a specific interrupt service routine to handle a specific event.
Can you explain the use of pointers in Embedded C?
Pointers in Embedded C are used to store the address of variables and to pass arguments to functions by reference.
Can you explain the use of preprocessor directives in Embedded C?
Preprocessor directives in Embedded C are used to modify the source code before compilation, such as for macro substitution, file inclusion, and conditional compilation.
How does memory-mapped I/O differ from programmed I/O in Embedded C?
In memory-mapped I/O, the peripheral device is mapped to the microprocessor’s memory space, allowing the processor to access it as if it were memory. In programmed I/O, the processor communicates with the peripheral device using specific input and output instructions.
Can you explain the difference between big-endian and little-endian memory representation in Embedded C?
Big-endian represents the most significant byte of a multi-byte data type at the lowest memory address, while little-endian represents the least significant byte of a multi-byte data type at the lowest memory address.
