Java programmer looking for a microcontroller for project

Thread Starter

twriters20

Joined Mar 24, 2016
3
Hi,

I am new to All About Circuits and electronics and I'm interested in finding a micro controller with a lot of space for a JVM. I noticed that most micro controllers need to be programmed in C and that it's very hard to find a micro controller with enough memory to be able to be programmed in Java. I'd rather not switch to C.

Any suggestions?
 

Sensacell

Joined Jun 19, 2012
3,432
For the love of God...

Depending on what you intend to do with the micro-controller... trying to run Java on a small micro seems like using a chainsaw to cut a keyhole, it might eventually work, but it's going to be messy.

Micro-controllers usually "sit on top" of some kind of hardware, the I/O functionality is what it's all about.
Java is not going to support any of the peripherals in a micro, so you will be managing low level registers anyway.
More layers of obfuscation will just make it impossible to debug and it will be sluggish and erratic when it finally works.

Small machine, small fast purpose-built code. Learn C or Assembly, it's not hard if you already know how to code.
 

ErnieM

Joined Apr 24, 2011
8,377
Java has a large overhead footprint so it needs a large machine to run on, which is contrary to a "micro" anything.

What is your intended goal?
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,158
You can't even lead horses to water anymore, let alone make them drink.

Get an RPi2 or a Beagle Bone, but like others have said you'll need to get your hands dirty with low level stuff anyway.
 

NorthGuy

Joined Jun 28, 2014
611
When I was young I, for some reason, wanted to stick to a language I have learnt (such as Algol or PL/1). Looking back, I can tell you it was a foolish idea. Now, I cannot even count how many languages I tried/used during my life, and, if need be, I'm ready to learn new ones.

My be, rather than trying to stay with Java, it's a good idea to learn something for microcontrollers, such as C - if you find a good book, it's really not that much to learn.
 

Thread Starter

twriters20

Joined Mar 24, 2016
3
My reason for wanting to keep Java is because I want to run a version of a program I already built (in Java). There's also a few libraries (written in Java). I'm not opposed to C in general, I just want to use Java for this project.

If it's not really possible, that's okay. I realize the impracticality of wanting to run Java on a micro controller with such little flash but since I read a Renesasa micro controller could run a version of Java VM, I grew attached to the idea. Hence why I wanted to build this project in Java. Thanks for the suggestions.
 
Last edited:
Top