Are YouTube tutorials a good way to really learn STM32, or do they create bad habits?

Hi everyone,

I’ve been working with STM32 for a while now (mostly CubeIDE + HAL), and like many others, I’ve relied heavily on YouTube tutorials to get started and solve specific problems. I usually discover new channels through recommendations, forums, or sometimes even via third-party YouTube tools like ytmodz, which surface modded YouTube experiences focused on uninterrupted learning. That said, while some channels explain concepts very clearly and are great for quick demos, I often find myself questioning how “correct” or scalable those approaches are for real-world projects.

For example, many videos focus on getting something working fast (blinking LEDs, basic peripherals, quick FreeRTOS demos), but they often skip deeper topics like architecture decisions, low-power design, robust error handling, or long-term maintainability. I also notice very different coding styles: some rely almost entirely on CubeMX auto-generated code, others go much closer to registers, and for someone moving beyond the beginner stage, it can be confusing to figure out what actually counts as best practice.

So I’m curious to hear from more experienced developers here:

• Do you think YouTube is a good learning resource for STM32 beyond the beginner level?

• Have you noticed common mistakes or bad habits that come specifically from following random tutorials?

• How do you personally balance video content with ST documentation, application notes, reference manuals, or official example projects?

I’m not against YouTube at all—I still use it regularly—but I’d love to understand how to use it more effectively without missing the “right” way of doing things. Looking forward to your thoughts and experiences.

[Gyessine]

Hello @unknown 

Indeed, our MOOC tutorials are an excellent way to begin learning how to use STM32 features, especially for beginners.
They provide clear explanations of how to use the basic features of different peripherals.
I also recommend checking our wiki, as it provides more details about the basics of the peripheral you want to use.
At a more advanced stage, if you feel you have learned the basics, then move on to explore the details of our documentation and registers to understand in depth how everything works. You can start by debugging our firmware examples.
BR
Gyessine

[Andrew Neil]

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@unknown wrote:

Some channels explain things very clearly and are great for quick demos, but sometimes I’m not sure how “correct” or scalable those approaches are for real projects..

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That's not specific to YouTube - you'll find the same in any medium.

It is a common problem with anything on the internet: there is no quality control; anyone can post anything - good or bad; true or false.

 

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@unknown wrote:

• How do you personally balance videos vs. ST documentation, app notes, reference manuals, or example projects?

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Again, not specific to videos.

For any manufacturer, I would always consider the manufacturer's own documentation & resources as the primary source - 3rd-party stuff should always be judged against the primary source.

 

People have different learning styles: some prefer video; some prefer written - the important thing is the content, not the delivery medium.

 

Here's some links to ST's own resources - both video and other:

https://community.st.com/t5/stm32-mcus-products/for-better-learning-stm32-programming-and-debugging/m-p/719468/highlight/true#M260690