---

name: c-and-embedded description: "Operate Porcupine from C and embedded/MCU targets: native linking, frame processing, C demos, and static asset embedding." disable-model-invocation: true metadata: disco-role: operating license: Apache 2.0

c-and-embedded

Use this sub-skill when a task involves Porcupine's C headers, native library loading/linking, file or microphone demo recipes in C, hardware-device enumeration, or MCU/STM32 embedding.

Do not use this sub-skill for:

• Python or CLI package usage; route to ../python-and-cli/SKILL.md.
• Node.js/server-side JavaScript; route to ../nodejs-server/SKILL.md.
• Browser, React, mobile, Java, .NET, Flutter, or React Native SDKs; route to the matching sibling sub-skill.
• Custom wake-word training, language/model inventory, and cross-platform .ppn/.pv selection; route to ../custom-keywords-and-assets/SKILL.md.

Operating map

1. For exact C and MCU signatures, lifecycle, device strings, status handling, and asset path conventions, use references/c-api-reference.md.
2. For build-command shapes, direct-link vs dynamic-load choices, file/microphone frame loops, C demo adaptation, STM32 concepts, and C-array conversion, use references/c-and-mcu-workflows.md.
3. For linker failures, header/library mismatch, AccessKey, invalid device strings, sample-rate/frame-length, endian/int16, MCU memory/toolchain, and invalid C symbols, use references/troubleshooting.md.
4. To convert a .ppn, .pv, or other binary asset into a validated C array header, use scripts/porcupine_binary_to_c_array.py.

Quick checklist

• Select the platform library, common/language model .pv, and platform-matched keyword .ppn before initialization.
• Keep access_key secret; Porcupine initialization requires a valid Picovoice AccessKey.
• Query pv_sample_rate() and pv_porcupine_frame_length() from the same library that will process audio.
• Feed pv_porcupine_process() exactly one mono int16_t frame per call, with sample rate equal to pv_sample_rate().
• Delete the engine with pv_porcupine_delete() on every success path and after recoverable failures that created an object.
• Treat C demos/tests as optional native candidates: they need a compiler, platform library, and AccessKey; microphone runs also need audio hardware.
• Treat MCU/STM32 board runs as skipped unless the exact board, STM32 toolchain, middleware, and AccessKey are available.