REQ-HW-002: Native simulation capabilities for development and testing

[andre-stefanov]

Requirement Description

REQ-HW-002: The system SHALL provide native simulation capabilities for development and testing.

Objective

Implement native simulation capabilities using Zephyr's native_sim platform to enable development and testing without requiring physical hardware, facilitating efficient firmware development and comprehensive automated testing.

Technical Requirements

Core Simulation Platform

• Zephyr native_sim board configuration and setup
• Host-based firmware execution environment
• Cross-platform simulation support (Linux/Windows/macOS)
• Real-time simulation capabilities for timing-sensitive operations

Hardware Simulation Framework

• Mock implementations for hardware-dependent components which have no simulation provided by zephyr
• UART communication based on virtual COM/TTY devices
• Virtual GPIO pin simulation for hardware interactions
• Mock stepper motor driver simulation
• Simulated sensor inputs and system monitoring
• Virtual device tree configuration for simulated hardware

Development Integration

• Seamless build system integration with west/CMake
• Standard debugging tool support (GDB integration)
• Comprehensive logging and trace output
• Development workflow optimization for rapid iteration

Testing Infrastructure Support

• Automated test execution in simulation environment
• Unit test framework integration with simulated components
• Integration testing support for system-level functionality
• Continuous integration pipeline compatibility

Acceptance Criteria

• Native simulation builds successfully with west build system
• Firmware logic executes correctly in simulation environment
• All major subsystems functional in simulation mode
• Communication capabilities over virtual serial ports with other tools on the host (OatControl, Indi, ASCOM etc.)
• Debugging capabilities operational with standard development tools
• Automated tests run successfully in simulation environment
• Simulation provides meaningful feedback for development workflow
• Performance characteristics suitable for development and testing

Implementation Notes

Zephyr RTOS Integration

• Use Zephyr's native_sim board configuration
• Implement hardware abstraction layers for simulated components
• Configure device tree overlays for simulation-specific settings
• Follow Zephyr simulation best practices and coding standards

Build System Configuration

west build -b native_sim                     # Simulation build
west build -b native_sim -- -DEXTRA_CONF_FILE=debug.conf  # Debug simulation
./build/zephyr/zephyr.exe                   # Run simulation

Testing Requirements

• Automated test suites executable in simulation environment
• Hardware-independent unit tests for core firmware logic
• Integration tests for inter-component communication
• Regression testing support for continuous integration

Dependencies

• Prerequisite: REQ-SYS-001 (Zephyr RTOS integration functional)
• Prerequisite: REQ-SYS-002 (32-bit microcontroller platform support)
• Enables: Efficient development workflow and comprehensive testing

Implementation Priority

🔴 priority:critical - Native simulation capabilities are essential for efficient development workflow, comprehensive testing, and continuous integration. This enables rapid development iteration without requiring physical hardware for every change.

Related Files

• boards/native_sim/ - Native simulation board configuration
• app/src/ - Application logic with simulation compatibility
• lib/ - Reusable components with simulation support
• tests/ - Test suites designed for simulation execution
• CMakeLists.txt - Build system configuration for simulation
• prj.conf - Project configuration for simulation features

Definition of Done

• Native simulation environment fully operational
• All acceptance criteria met and tested
• Build system seamlessly supports simulation and hardware targets
• Development workflow validated with simulation environment
• Automated testing pipeline functional in simulation
• Code review completed
• Documentation updated with simulation usage instructions