Quick Answer
What is Firmware?
Firmware is low-level software written directly for a specific piece of hardware.
Embedded Systems
Firmware
By Glintr Editorial TeamReviewed by Glintr Learn ReviewersUpdated 5 min readArea: Embedded Systems
Definition
Firmware is the layer of software closest to the hardware — it runs on microcontrollers and dedicated chips and controls how devices boot, sense and respond to their environment.
Related Concepts
- Embedded SystemsEmbedded Systems are dedicated computing systems built into a product to perform a specific function.
- MicrocontrollerA microcontroller is a small computer on a single chip, used to control embedded devices.
- SensorA sensor is a component that detects physical phenomena — temperature, motion, light, sound — and converts them into signals.