PG164130 PICKIT 3 IN-CIRCUIT DEBUGGER 

PICkit 3 PROGRAMMER/DEBUGGER  (MICROCHIP)

The PICkit 3 programmer/debugger is a simple, low-cost in-circuit 

debugger that is controlled by a PC running MPLAB IDE  software on 

a Windows® platform. The PICkit 3 programmer/debugger is an integral part of the 

development engineer’s toolsuite. The application usage can vary from software 

development to hardware integration.

The PICkit 3 programmer/debugger is a debugger system used for hardware and 

software development of Microchip PIC® microcontrollers (MCUs) and dsPIC® Digital 

Signal Controllers (DSCs) that are based on In-Circuit Serial Programming™ (ICSP™) 

and Enhanced In-Circuit Serial Programming 2-wire serial interfaces. In addition to 

debugger functions, the PICkit 3 programmer/debugger system also may be used as a 

development programmer. The PICkit 3 programmer/debugger is not intended to be 

used as a production programmer.

The debugger system executes code like an actual device because it uses a device 

with built-in emulation circuitry, instead of a special debugger chip, for emulation. All 

available features of a given device are accessible interactively, and can be set and 

modified by the MPLAB IDE interface.

The PICkit 3 debugger was developed for emulating embedded processors with debug 

facilities. The PICkit 3 features include:

• Full-speed USB support using Windows standard drivers

• Real-time execution

• Processors run at maximum speeds

• Built-in over-voltage/short circuit monitor

• Low voltage to 5V (1.8-5V range)

• Diagnostic LEDs (power, active, status)

• Read/write program and data memory of microcontroller

• Erase of all memory types (EEPROM, ID, configuration and program) with verification

• Peripheral freeze at breakpoint