Zazu

Step

What is Zazu?

Zazu, developed by AC6, is an innovative hardware simulation tool based on Renode. Integrated directly into Visual Studio Code.

With Zazu, you can accelerate the development, testing, debugging, and simulation of your IoT software without having to modify existing code. This makes the process not only faster but also more economical and reliable, perfect for optimizing your IoT projects.

Features

Integrated Development: Seamlessly integrates with Visual Studio Code to provide a unified development environment for hardware simulation.
Hardware Simulation: Allows for accurate simulation of various IoT hardware platforms without needing physical devices.
Debugging and Testing: Provides robust tools for debugging and testing your software directly within the simulation environment.
Fast Setup: Accelerates the setup process with minimal configuration, making it easier to start working on your IoT projects quickly.
Cost-Effective: Reduces the need for physical hardware, saving costs and streamlining the development workflow.
Reliable Performance: Ensures reliable performance and accurate simulation results to improve your software’s quality.

Prerequisites

macOS

To use Renode on macOS, you need to install Mono, which provides essential tools and runtime support. Follow the steps below to install Mono:

Visit the official Mono website: Mono for macOS Installation Guide.
Download and install the latest stable version of Mono by following the instructions provided on the page.

Ensure that Mono is correctly installed and accessible from your terminal by running the following command:

mono --version

This command should display the installed version of Mono, confirming that the installation was successful.

Usage

Open the Zazu extension view by clicking on the Zazu icon.
Install Zazu's dependencies by clicking on the "install button".
Open the Zazu configuration menu.

Zazu Configuration

To start using the tool, simply click on the Project field to view the list of available projects in the workspace. Once the project is selected, the tool will automatically find the executable file, without any further input required.

Port and simulator configurations are mainly useful for advanced cases, such as when you want to run multiple debug instances in parallel.

Before configuring Zazu, ensure you have a compiled project for the board you intend to simulate. Additionally, if you plan to debug, make sure you have the appropriate toolchain installed, such as arm-none-eabi-gdb.