Host Application

In a bootloader context, the host is the system responsible for sending the application code to the device. This is usually a computer or CPU that can be connected to the target device for the purpose of performing the firmware upgrade or a CPU host on the same circuit board.

There are very few limitations on how to make a host application, as long as you are able to communicate with the target device. The simplest hosts have only a basic command line interface, while some have Graphical User Interfaces with several layers of security and advanced configuration settings.

Over-the-air (OTA) programming is also possible if the device has wireless connectivity. This makes it easier to add software upgrade features from a smartphone application, or other ways of upgrading a large amount of devices without having to physically connect each device to a computer or progammer.