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Use the terminal UI when you work over SSH, on a headless lab machine, or prefer a terminal. Use the VS Code extension when you need the graphical Monitor views or the schematic viewer.

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Install

Check the installation:
An installation from the install script updates itself in the background, and the new version starts the next time you run embedder. An npm installation does not update itself; when a new version is available, Embedder shows the command to install it. Running the install script removes an existing global npm installation.

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Open a project

  1. Go to your firmware project and start Embedder:
  2. Sign in. Embedder opens a browser and shows a one-time code. If no browser opens, for example over SSH, open the printed link on any device and enter the code.
  3. Choose your team if asked. Then choose a project under Select Project, or select + Create new project, name it, and pick its platform.
  4. Run /init. Embedder inspects the project, asks you to confirm how it builds, tests, flashes, and debugs, and then records that in EMBEDDER.md.
If Embedder reports that you are running in a protected system directory, choose Exit and start it again from your project directory.

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Work in the terminal

You can plan, edit, build, test, flash, debug, use MCP tools, and resume conversations from the terminal.
  • Run /serial to open the serial sidebar for UART, RTT, ITM, or xSCOPE output.
  • Use boards and probes attached to this computer. To use a remote hardware bridge, select it in VS Code; the terminal can’t select a bridge.
  • Embedder summarizes instrument captures and reports in chat, and you can open them later in VS Code.
The terminal does not show the Monitor’s graphical views, such as Plot, Logic Analyzer, Power, Oscilloscope, Spectrum Analyzer, Trace, Coverage, and Bluetooth. Run embedder dashboard to preview a dashboard’s layout and static content in a browser. Live dashboard data and device controls need the VS Code Monitor.

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Useful controls

Shell and serial-send modes run exactly what you type. Use an ordinary prompt when you want Embedder to choose the action and interpret the result. Serial-send mode needs a connected serial port. See Keyboard shortcuts and Slash commands for the full lists.

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Run a saved hardware check

Run a script from the project’s .embedder/hardware/ folder:
See Hardware scripts for writing scripts and capture profiles, and CLI reference for every option.

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Automate repository work

Run embedder start daemon to handle GitHub and Slack tasks on this machine, and embedder monitor to follow them. See Operate the daemon. For equipment attached to another host, use a remote hardware bridge. See the CLI reference for every command and option.

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Use a self-hosted instance

If your organization runs its own Embedder instance, run embedder connect <url> to use it, or embedder disconnect to return to the hosted service. See Connect to a self-hosted instance.
Last modified on October 13, 2026