SEGGER introduces streaming trace probe for SiFive RISC-V cores

J-Trace PRO RISC-V, with its SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface, enables continuous streaming trace via USB. This allows the processing of data from a target device in real time, giving users a deep insight into the application program. Streaming in real time allows for data capture over long periods of time with no limit set on the amount of trace data. This is ideal for code optimisation and especially for finding infrequent, hard-to-reproduce bugs.

“Streaming trace is the ultimate key technology in code optimisation,” said Ivo Geilenbruegge, Managing Director of SEGGER. “Some of our most demanding customers, including SEGGER’s own in-house engineers, use the J-Trace PRO for code optimization and verification. We are delighted that we can also make this experience available to developers working with SiFive RISC-V cores.”

J-Trace PRO enables Live Code Profiling by detailing which instructions have been executed how often. This allows users to address runtime hotspots and to identify opportunities to optimize them. These profiles can later be exported using a tool like, for example, SEGGER’s Ozone debugger for documentation and analysis. In addition, J-Trace PRO’s Live Code Coverage lets engineers see code coverage at a glance, showing which instructions have or have not been executed. Code coverage is important for test verification. Hence, running the code coverage analysis in parallel with a test suite clearly shows whether all parts of the application are run through the test, which is a key element of functional tests.

J-Trace PRO is the pinnacle of the SEGGER family of debug and trace probes. In addition to its signature streaming and real-time features, it also includes all the features of J-Link, such as high-performance flashloaders, up to 4 MB/s download speed, and an unlimited number of breakpoints in the flash memory of MCUs.