When developing embedded firmware, one application almost always remains open throughout the development cycle: A Serial Monitor.
Whether I'm working with an ESP32, STM32, Arduino, or another microcontroller, UART output is usually the first place I look when debugging firmware, verifying sensor readings, or testing communication protocols.
Over time, I noticed that my debugging workflow had become fragmented. I would use one application to view serial logs, another to plot sensor values, another to inspect GPS NMEA data, and yet another to export logs for documentation. None of these tools were bad individually, but constantly switching between them interrupted the development process.
That observation led me to a simple question:
Could these common debugging tasks be combined into a single browser-based application?
That question eventually became SerialX.
Why a Browser?
Instead of downloading and installing a desktop application, users can open a supported browser, connect their development board, and immediately begin debugging.
This approach offers a few practical advantages:
- No software installation
- Cross-platform compatibility
- Easy updates
- Simple access in educational labs and shared workspaces
Design Goals
While building SerialX, I focused on reducing the number of tools developers typically need during embedded development.
Some of the goals included:
- Fast connection to supported serial devices
- Minimal setup before debugging
- Better visualization of serial data
- Productivity-focused workflows
- A clean interface that works across different operating systems
Current Features
SerialX currently includes:
- Browser-based serial communication
- Automatic baud rate detection
- Real-time graph plotting for multiple parameters
- GPS NMEA parser with map visualization
- Timestamped serial logging
- Session statistics
- Keyboard shortcuts for faster navigation
- Log export
- Multiple themes
Rather than opening separate utilities for each task, these features are available within a single interface.
Looking Ahead
SerialX is still actively evolving.
I'm continuing to improve the user experience, add new debugging capabilities, and expand support for additional workflows commonly used in embedded systems development.
If you work with embedded hardware, I'd love to hear what features would make your debugging workflow easier.
Website:
I'm always interested in feedback from embedded developers, students, and makers. If you have suggestions or feature requests, feel free to share them.
Connect with me!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fayyaz-shaikh-7646312a3/
GitHub: https://github.com/fayyaz-27/
Portfolio: https://fayyaz.me
Email: fayyaz.nisar.shaikh@gmail.com
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