Firmware vs embedded software: what's the difference, and who do you need?
Firmware vs embedded software in plain English: definitions, where the line sits on a real connected product, and who you need to hire for each part.
Karan · Founder & CTO, NavikX
· 6 MIN READ
Firmware is the low-level software that boots and runs a device's hardware. Embedded software is the wider set of code on the device, including application logic, drivers and communication. On a modern connected product they are designed together, so most teams need people who can do both.
Plain-English definitions
Firmware is the code that lives closest to the hardware: the bootloader, the drivers for sensors and radios, power management and the code that updates the device itself. It is usually written in C or C++ and often runs on a real-time operating system or directly on the chip.
Embedded software is the broader term for all the software running on the device: firmware plus the application logic, state machines, communication protocols and, on larger devices, an embedded operating system such as Linux or Android.
Where the line sits on a real product
| Part of the device | Usually called | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Bootloader and update code | Firmware | Verifies and installs a signed update |
| Sensor and radio drivers | Firmware | Reads a temperature sensor, runs the BLE stack |
| Device logic | Embedded software | Decides when to dispense, alert or sleep |
| Communication protocol | Embedded software | Commands and data exchanged with the app |
| App on a Linux/Android board | Embedded software | A touchscreen interface on the device |
Who do you need?
A small battery-powered sensor is mostly firmware. A device with a screen, camera or rich behaviour needs more embedded application work. Either way, the software on the device must match the app and cloud it talks to, which is why splitting these between vendors causes the most trouble.
FAQ
Is firmware the same as an operating system?
No. On small devices firmware may include a lightweight real-time OS, but larger devices run a full OS with firmware underneath it.
Can a mobile developer write firmware?
Rarely well. Firmware needs knowledge of hardware, timing and power that app development doesn't teach. The best results come from engineers who understand both sides.
Karan Kumar Maurya · Founder & CTO, NavikX
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