Problem to crack:

1. Edit: an Editor, support reference/tags, content assistant, refactoring

2. Build: compiler, linker, make and required commands.

3. Debug: debugger, GUI front-end, integrated, step/next/stop/reset, breakpoint, watchpoint, stack, regview.

4. Manage: git

Windows 7 is recommended platform for the sake of Java support. Java 8 requires Windows 7 or higher. But I do this on Windows XP, no serious problem observed so far.

Since most software used here are based either on Java, which is cross-platform, or GNU tools, which originated from Unix/Linux, there will be a very good chance to be working on Linux, with simplified installation process.

Java.com, JRE is sufficient. As of writing, 8u25 is latest version.

Eclipse, Luna, Latest stable release, as of writing, SR1.

URL: https://launchpad.net/gcc-arm-embedded

URL: https://launchpad.net/gcc-arm-embedded/+download

providing make command.

http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/make.htm

providing other commands used in Makefile, such as rm and echo. http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/coreutils.htm

http://www.st.com/web/catalog/tools/FM147/SC1887

the flash tool can be used for production,

librarys, drivers, HAL etc.

CubeMX is a code generation tool.

also a gdbserver, flash tool for development, but not for production.

This article set up Eclipse with Code Sourcery tool-chain. http://stm32discovery.nano-age.co.uk/open-source-development-with-the-stm32-discovery/setting-up-eclipse-for-stm32-discovery-development

a series of really good guide. This guy goes to libopemcm3 project for his belief on Open Source.

http://clalance.blogspot.com/2014/01/developing-stm32-microcontroller-code.html