Definition:
A firmware is the software that runs an electronic device. The firmware is responsible to get data from the device’s sensors, activate the device’s light/movement components, storing data to flash memories, and communicate with remote software via the device’s wireless modules (Bluetooth, WiFi, RFID, etc).
For many microcontrollers the firmware is programmable: developers can write programs on a PC, compile them, and “flash” them onto the hardware vis usb or WiFi connections.
Examples:
- *.ino files for Arduino/Photon microcontrollers.