A practical guide to implementing and debugging Controller Area Network communication using STM32 and ESP32, covering bit timing, error handling, and real-world troubleshooting.
A practical, experience-driven guide to understanding and debugging CAN (Controller Area Network) communication in embedded systems.
This repository focuses on building a strong foundation in CAN communication, with emphasis on real-world debugging and understanding rather than just implementation. It is based on hands-on experience working with CAN across STM32 and ESP32 platforms.
Currently, the repository includes:
- What CAN is and how it works
- Frame structure and arbitration
- Standard vs extended IDs
- Communication model
👉 docs/CAN_Basics.md
- Time quanta and bit segmentation
- Baud rate calculation
- Importance of timing alignment
- Why small mismatches break communication
👉 docs/Bit-Timing.md
- CAN_H / CAN_L wiring issues
- Termination resistor importance
- Slope control (Rs pin)
- Grounding and power issues
- Bit timing mismatch
- Filter misconfiguration
- Mode selection (normal vs loopback)
- Interrupt and initialization issues
- No ACK conditions
- Error counter analysis (TEC/REC)
- Intermittent communication issues
- Cross-platform timing mismatch
👉 troubleshooting/Common_Errors.md
The goal is to help developers:
Move from “CAN is not working” → “I understand exactly why it is not working”
This repository will be expanded with:
- STM32 CAN implementation examples
- ESP32 (TWAI) implementation examples
- Cross-platform comparison (STM32 vs ESP32)
- Step-by-step debugging flow
- Logic Analyzer signal analysis
- This is a clean, independent learning resource
- No proprietary or company-specific code is included
- All content is simplified for clarity and practical understanding
If you have faced interesting CAN issues or have suggestions, feel free to open an issue or contribute.
If you find this useful, consider giving it a star ⭐