Hardware Tool Connections and Debugging

The connection between your hardware debug tool and target can determine what debug features are available, in addition to the device-related debug features.

Hardware Tool to Target Connections - PIC MCUs

Table 1. Hardware Tool to Target Connections - PIC MCUs
Connection Hardware Support(1) Debug Support (2,3,4) Trace Support(1) Support Speed
Standard (ICSP) Communications RI, ICD4, ICD3: Modular cable (6-pin RJ-11); Snap, PK4, PK3: Ribbon cable (6-pin SIL) Basic and Advanced RI: Native Trace

15 MIPS or less

PIC32: Device Dependent
High-Speed (LVDS) Communications RI: Performance Pak (AC244002) Basic and Advanced

RI: Native Trace,

RI: SPI Trace

Greater than 15 MIPS

PIC32: Device Dependent
RI: Performance Pak + Isolator Unit (AC244005) Basic and Advanced None

Greater than 15 MIPS

PIC32: Device Dependent
JTAG

RI: JTAG Adapter (AC244007),

SJL

 Basic None PIC32: Device Dependent
Logic Port RI: Logic Port Probes (4 pins) N/A RI: I/O Port Trace Device Dependent
RI:Trace Interface Kit (AC244006) N/A RI: Instruction Trace (PIC32 MCUs, some Emulation Headers) Device Dependent
Standard (ICSP) Communications + Logic Port RI: Power Monitor (AC244008) Basic None

15 MIPS or less

PIC32: Device Dependent
  1. 1.For tool abbreviations, see last table.
  2. 2.Support is device dependent, i.e., some debug features are not available on all devices.
  3. 3.Basic Debug Support: Run, Halt, Reset, Step Into, Step Over, Software/Hardware Breakpoints.
  4. 4.Advanced Debug Support: Data Capture, Runtime Watch, etc.
Table 2. Hardware Tool to Target Connections - AVR MCUs
Connection Hardware Support(1,2) Device Support(3) Debug Support(4,5,6) Trace Support Support Speed
JTAG AI, PK4 All AVR MCUs Basic No 32kHz to 7.5MHz
aWire AI AVR 32-bit MCUs Basic No 7.5kbit/s to 7Mbit/s
PDI 2-wire Al, PK4 AVR XMEGA® MCUs Basic No 32kHz to 7.5MHz
debugWIRE Al, PK4 AVR 8-bit MCUs Basic No 4kbit/s to 0.5Mbit/s
UPDI Al, PK4 AVR 8-bit MCUs Basics No Up to 750kbit/s
SPI AI, PK4 AVR 8-bit MCUs Programming only N/A 8kHz to 5MHz
TPI AI, PK4 tinyAVR 8-bit MCUs Programming only N/A Device dependend
  1. 1.For tool abbreviations, see last table.
  2. 2.ICD4 and PK4 require the AC102015 Debugger Adapter Board.
  3. 3.Device support is on-going and may not be currently available.
  4. 4.Support is device dependent, i.e., some debug features are not available on all devices.
  5. 5.Basic Debug Support: Run, Halt, Software/Hardware Breakpoints.
  6. 6.Programming Only: No debugging with this connection.
Table 3. Hardware Tool to Target Connections - SAM MCUs
Connection Hardware Support(1,2) Device Support(3) Debug Support(4,5,6) Trace Support Support Speed
JTAG ICD4 SAM MCUs Basic No 32kHz to 7.5MHz
SWD ICD4 SAM MCUs Basic and Advanced ITM - 3MB/s 32kHz to 10MHz
  1. 1.For tool abbreviations, see last table.
  2. 2.ICD4 and PK4 require the AC102015 Debugger Adapter Board.
  3. 3.Device support is on-going and may not be currently available.
  4. 4.Support is device dependent, i.e., some debug features are not available on all devices.
  5. 5.Basic Debug Support: Run, Halt, Software/Hardware Breakpoints.
  6. 6.Advanced Debug Support: Additional features over Basic; device dependent.
Table 4. Tool Abbreviations
Abbreviation Tool Name
Snap MPLAB Snap in-circuit debugger/production programmer
PK4 MPLAB PICkit 4 in-circuit debugger/production programmer
PK3 PICkit 3 in-circuit debugger/development programmer
ICD4 MPLAB ICD 4 in-circuit debugger/production programmer
ICD3 MPLAB ICD 3 in-circuit debugger/production programmer
RI MPLAB REAL ICE in-circuit emulator/production programmer
AI Atmel-ICE in-circuit debugger/programmer
SJL SEGGER J-Link debug probes (Third Party)

For more on device-dependent debug features, see:

<MPLAB X IDE install>docs/FeatureSupport/HWToolDebugFeatures.html

Parent topic: Advanced Tasks & Concepts