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Agent skill

Openocd Jtag

by mohitmishra786 in mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills

OpenOCD skill for embedded hardware debugging. An agent skill from mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills.

MITAuto-check passedDevelopment

Install Openocd Jtag

skills CLI
$ npx skills add mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --skill openocd-jtag -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills openocd-jtag --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/embedded/openocd-jtag .claude/skills/openocd-jtag && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
openocd-jtag
GitHub stars
252
Token cost
~1.6k tokens
SKILL.md length
337 words
Files
1
Skills in repo
138
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

OpenOCD skill for embedded hardware debugging. An agent skill from mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills.

  • Works in 8 steps: JTAG vs SWD → OpenOCD configuration → Connecting GDB → …
  • Configuring OpenOCD for JTAG
  • SKILL.md covers Purpose, Triggers, Workflow and Related skills
  • Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

Openocd Jtag is an agent skill from mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills. OpenOCD skill for embedded hardware debugging. Use when configuring OpenOCD for JTAG or SWD targets, flashing firmware, connecting GDB to bare-metal targets, setting hardware watchpoints, or using J-Link with OpenOCD. Activates on queries about OpenOCD, JTAG, SWD, GDB remote target, flash programming, hardware breakpoints, J-Link, or connecting GDB to an MCU.

Its SKILL.md is about 1.6k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.

It sits in Development, covering Responsive design, Debugging and Embedded systems. The repository describes itself as: A curated suite of AI agent skills for systems and low-level programming with C/C++, Rust, and Zig toolchains, covering compilers, debuggers, profilers, build systems…. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Configuring OpenOCD for JTAG
  • Flashing firmware
  • Connecting GDB to bare-metal targets
  • Setting hardware watchpoints

Example prompts

  • “/openocd-jtag”

Workflow steps

8 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.

  1. JTAG vs SWD
  2. OpenOCD configuration
  3. Connecting GDB
  4. Flashing firmware
  5. Hardware breakpoints and watchpoints
  6. OpenOCD commands reference
  7. Common errors
  8. J-Link configuration

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit bdc5847. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md (its code samples are bash and tcl).

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Openocd Jtag loads about 1.6k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 94 tokens; SKILL.md has 337 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~94
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~1.6k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills at commit bdc5847, republished under its MIT licence (© mohitmishra786). 337 words, ~1,623 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/openocd-jtag/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).
name
openocd-jtag
description
OpenOCD skill for embedded hardware debugging. Use when configuring OpenOCD for JTAG or SWD targets, flashing firmware, connecting GDB to bare-metal targets, setting hardware watchpoints, or using J-Link with OpenOCD. Activates on queries about OpenOCD, JTAG, SWD, GDB remote target, flash programming, hardware breakpoints, J-Link, or connecting GDB to an MCU.

OpenOCD / JTAG Debugging

Purpose

Guide agents through configuring OpenOCD for JTAG and SWD targets, flashing firmware to microcontrollers, attaching GDB for bare-metal debugging, setting hardware watchpoints, and configuring J-Link and CMSIS-DAP adapters.

Triggers

  • "How do I connect GDB to my MCU with OpenOCD?"
  • "How do I flash firmware using OpenOCD?"
  • "How do I set up J-Link with OpenOCD?"
  • "What's the difference between JTAG and SWD?"
  • "How do I set a hardware watchpoint in GDB?"
  • "OpenOCD says 'Error: unable to find JTAG device' — how do I fix it?"

Workflow

1. JTAG vs SWD
FeatureJTAGSWD (Serial Wire Debug)
Pins4+ (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO, TRST)2 (SWCLK, SWDIO)
Multi-targetYes (daisy chain)No (one target)
SpeedUp to 30 MHzUp to 10 MHz
AvailabilityFull JTAG: Cortex-A/R, RISC-VSWD: Cortex-M only
Cable costMore complexSimpler 2-wire

Most Cortex-M microcontrollers support both. Use SWD when pin count is limited.

2. OpenOCD configuration
tcl
# openocd.cfg — CMSIS-DAP (ST-Link v2, DAPLink)
source [find interface/cmsis-dap.cfg]
source [find target/stm32f4x.cfg]
adapter speed 4000              # kHz

# For SWD explicitly
transport select swd

# J-Link adapter
source [find interface/jlink.cfg]
jlink serial 123456789          # optional: select by serial
source [find target/nrf52.cfg]
adapter speed 8000
bash
# Run OpenOCD (keeps running, serves GDB on port 3333)
openocd -f openocd.cfg

# Common interface config files
ls $(openocd --help 2>&1 | grep "scripts" | head -1)/interface/
# cmsis-dap.cfg, jlink.cfg, ftdi/olimex-arm-usb-ocd.cfg, stlink.cfg ...

# Common target config files
ls $(openocd --help 2>&1 | grep "scripts" | head -1)/target/
# stm32f4x.cfg, nrf52.cfg, esp32.cfg, rp2040.cfg, at91sam4s.cfg ...
3. Connecting GDB
bash
# In terminal 1: start OpenOCD
openocd -f openocd.cfg

# In terminal 2: start GDB
arm-none-eabi-gdb firmware.elf

# GDB commands
(gdb) target extended-remote :3333   # connect to OpenOCD
(gdb) monitor reset halt              # reset and halt target
(gdb) load                            # flash ELF to target
(gdb) monitor reset init             # re-initialize after flash
(gdb) break main                      # set software breakpoint
(gdb) continue

# One-liner for quick debugging
arm-none-eabi-gdb -ex "target extended-remote :3333" \
                  -ex "monitor reset halt" \
                  -ex "load" \
                  -ex "break main" \
                  -ex "continue" \
                  firmware.elf
4. Flashing firmware
bash
# Flash via OpenOCD telnet interface
telnet localhost 4444

# OpenOCD telnet commands
> reset halt
> program firmware.elf verify reset
> exit

# Or via GDB
(gdb) monitor flash write_image erase firmware.bin 0x08000000
(gdb) monitor reset run

# Flash only (no debug) — script mode
openocd -f openocd.cfg \
        -c "program firmware.elf verify reset exit"

# For raw binary
openocd -f openocd.cfg \
        -c "program firmware.bin 0x08000000 verify reset exit"
5. Hardware breakpoints and watchpoints

Software breakpoints (break) patch instruction memory with trap instructions — they don't work in flash-execute-in-place without debug registers. Use hardware breakpoints instead:

bash
# Hardware breakpoint (uses debug register, limited count: 4-8 on Cortex-M)
(gdb) hbreak function_name
(gdb) hbreak *0x08001234

# Hardware watchpoint — triggers on memory read/write
(gdb) watch global_variable         # write watchpoint
(gdb) rwatch some_buffer            # read watchpoint
(gdb) awatch sensor_value           # read OR write watchpoint

# List breakpoints/watchpoints
(gdb) info breakpoints

# Cortex-M typically has: 4–8 hardware breakpoints, 2–4 watchpoints
6. OpenOCD commands reference
bash
# Via telnet (port 4444) or GDB monitor
monitor reset halt          # reset and hold at reset vector
monitor reset init          # reset and run init scripts
monitor reset run           # reset and run freely
monitor halt                # halt running target
monitor resume              # resume execution
monitor mdw 0x20000000      # memory display word at address
monitor mww 0x40021000 0x1  # memory write word
monitor reg r0              # read register
monitor arm disassemble 0x08000000 16  # disassemble 16 instructions

# Flash operations
monitor flash list
monitor flash erase_sector 0 0 0   # erase sector 0
monitor flash write_bank 0 firmware.bin 0
7. Common errors
ErrorCauseFix
unable to find JTAG deviceWrong interface, cable, or powerCheck USB connection; power target; verify interface config
JTAG scan chain interrogation failedWrong target config or bad SWD modeMatch config to exact MCU; try transport select swd
flash 'stm32f4x' is not supportedWrong targetCheck MCU part number; use correct .cfg
Error: timed out while waiting for target haltedTarget running, not haltedmonitor halt; check BOOT pins
Cannot access memory at addressMMU, memory protection, or wrong addressCheck MPU config; use correct flash/RAM address
Warn: target not examined yetOpenOCD not connected to targetCheck power and connections
tcl
# openocd.cfg for J-Link
source [find interface/jlink.cfg]
jlink usb 0          # use first J-Link found
transport select swd  # or jtag
adapter speed 4000

source [find target/stm32l4x.cfg]

J-Link GDB Server (alternative to OpenOCD):

bash
# Segger's own GDB server
JLinkGDBServer -if SWD -device STM32L476RG -port 3333 &
arm-none-eabi-gdb -ex "target remote :3333" firmware.elf
  • Use skills/embedded/freertos for FreeRTOS-aware debugging with OpenOCD
  • Use skills/embedded/zephyr for Zephyr's west debug integration
  • Use skills/debuggers/gdb for GDB session management
  • Use skills/embedded/linker-scripts for understanding memory map for flash addresses

© mohitmishra786, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

Just SKILL.md in skills/embedded/openocd-jtag of mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills.

Open the folder on GitHubat commit bdc5847

Compare with similar skills

Openocd Jtag next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Openocd Jtag compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Openocd Jtag this skillmohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills252—~1.6kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Commodore64 Vice Debuggingidolpx/meatloaf128—~4.8kAutomated safety check: PassGPL-3.0
Local Log DebugUniClipboard/UniClipboard1.9k—~2.6kAutomated safety check: PassAGPL-3.0
Debugging Codesickn33/agentic-awesome-skills47k1 repos~3.1kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Gearcoleco Debuggingdrhelius/Gearcoleco142—~3.5kAutomated safety check: PassGPL-3.0
Dbgtheodo-group/debug-that158—~2.5kAutomated safety check: PassMIT

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Categories

Questions about Openocd Jtag

What does Openocd Jtag do?

OpenOCD skill for embedded hardware debugging. An agent skill from mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills. Openocd Jtag is an agent skill from mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills. OpenOCD skill for embedded hardware debugging.

When should I use Openocd Jtag?

Openocd Jtag fits situations like: configuring OpenOCD for JTAG; flashing firmware; connecting GDB to bare-metal targets; setting hardware watchpoints.

How do I install Openocd Jtag in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --skill openocd-jtag -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/embedded/openocd-jtag in mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills) into .claude/skills/openocd-jtag in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Openocd Jtag in Codex?

Run `npx skills add mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --skill openocd-jtag -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/embedded/openocd-jtag in mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills) into .agents/skills/openocd-jtag in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Openocd Jtag in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --skill openocd-jtag -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/openocd-jtag, .gemini/skills/openocd-jtag, .github/skills/openocd-jtag and .opencode/skills/openocd-jtag in your project.

What does Openocd Jtag need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Openocd Jtag is instructions for the agent only.

Does Openocd Jtag access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Openocd Jtag safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Openocd Jtag use?

Openocd Jtag is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Openocd Jtag use?

About 1.6k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 6.5k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.

What are the alternatives to Openocd Jtag?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Openocd Jtag: Commodore64 Vice Debugging (idolpx/meatloaf, 128 stars), Local Log Debug (UniClipboard/UniClipboard, 1.9k stars), Debugging Code (sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills, 47k stars) and Gearcoleco Debugging (drhelius/Gearcoleco, 142 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Openocd Jtag?

mohitmishra786 (a GitHub user) maintains it in mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills, which has 252 GitHub stars. The repository holds 138 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on June 27, 2026.

Source: mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.