8.12 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.

Table 8-7. Hardware Tool to Target Connections - PIC MCUs
Connection Type Hardware Support(1) Debug Support (3,4,5) Trace Support(1) Support Speed
Standard (ICSP) Communications ICEx(2); RI, ICDx: Modular cable (6-pin RJ-11); Snap, PKx: Ribbon cable (6-pin SIL) Basic and Advanced ICEx and RI: Native Trace

15 MIPS or less

PIC32: Device Dependent
High-Speed Communications ICEx: High-speed cable; RI: Performance Pak (AC244002) Basic and Advanced

Native Trace, 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

ICEx(2); RI: JTAG Adapter (AC244007); J32

 Basic None PIC32: Device Dependent
I/O Port Trace ICEx: High-speed cable; RI: Logic Port Probes (4 pins) N/A I/O Port Trace Device Dependent
PIC Instruction Trace ICEx(2); RI: Logic Port + Trace Interface Kit (AC244006) N/A Instruction Trace (PIC32 MCUs, some Emulation Headers) Device Dependent
Power Monitor ICEx(2) + Current Sense; RI: Modular Cable + Logic Port + Power Monitor board (AC244008) Basic None

RI: 15 MIPS or less, PIC32 Device Dependent
  1. For tool abbreviations, see last table.
  2. ICEx can be used with legacy boards or the high-speed cable for better performance.
  3. Support is device dependent, i.e., some debug features are not available on all devices.
  4. Basic Debug Support: Run, Halt, Reset, Step Into, Step Over, Software/Hardware Breakpoints.
  5. Advanced Debug Support: Data Capture, Runtime Watch, etc.
Table 8-8. Hardware Tool to Target Connections - AVR MCUs
Connection Type Hardware Support(1) Device Support(4) Debug Support(5,6,7) Trace Support Support Speed
JTAG AI, PKx(2), ICEx(3) 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, PKx(2), ICEx(3) AVR XMEGA® MCUs Basic No 32kHz to 7.5MHz
debugWIRE Al, PKx(2), ICEx(3) AVR 8-bit MCUs Basic No 4kbit/s to 0.5Mbit/s
UPDI Al, PKx(2), ICEx(3) AVR 8-bit MCUs Basics No Up to 750kbit/s
SPI AI, PKx(2), ICEx(3) AVR 8-bit MCUs Programming only N/A 8kHz to 5MHz
TPI AI, PKx(2), ICEx(3) tinyAVR 8-bit MCUs Programming only N/A Device dependend
  1. For tool abbreviations, see last table.
  2. PKx requires the AC102015 Debugger Adapter Board.
  3. ICEx can be used with legacy boards or the high-speed cable for better performance.
  4. Device support is on-going and may not be currently available.
  5. Support is device dependent, i.e., some debug features are not available on all devices.
  6. Basic Debug Support: Run, Halt, Software/Hardware Breakpoints.
  7. Programming Only: No debugging with this connection.
Table 8-9. Hardware Tool to Target Connections - SAM MCUs
Connection Type Hardware Support(1) Device Support(4) Debug Support(5,6,7) Trace Support Support Speed
JTAG ICDx(2),ICEx(3) SAM MCUs Basic No 32kHz to 7.5MHz
SWD ICDx(2), ICEx(3) SAM MCUs Basic and Advanced ITM - 3MB/s 32kHz to 10MHz
  1. For tool abbreviations, see last table.
  2. ICDx requires the AC102015 Debugger Adapter Board.
  3. ICEx can be used with legacy boards or the high-speed cable for better performance.
  4. Device support is on-going and may not be currently available.
  5. Support is device dependent, i.e., some debug features are not available on all devices.
  6. Basic Debug Support: Run, Halt, Software/Hardware Breakpoints.
  7. Advanced Debug Support: Additional features over Basic; device dependent.
Table 8-10. Tool Abbreviations
Abbreviation Tool Name
Snap MPLAB Snap in-circuit debugger/production programmer
PKx MPLAB PICkit x in-circuit debugger/production programmer, where x = 3, 4 or 5
ICDx MPLAB ICD x in-circuit debugger/production programmer, where x = 3, 4 or 5
ICEx MPLAB ICE x in-circuit emulator/production programmer, where x = 4
RI MPLAB REAL ICE in-circuit emulator/production programmer
AI Atmel-ICE in-circuit debugger/programmer
J32 J-32 debug probes (Third Party)

For more on device-dependent debug features, see:

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