When you’re developing a cross-platform application—one that is compatible with Windows, Linux, or even macOS—there’s so much to consider. You don’t just want your app to be pretty and fast; most of all, you want it to integrate cleanly with hardware on every platform. If your application is communicating over an external device (such as a printer, sensor, or medical device) via a serial port, then you need something to test and observe that communication in a controlled manner.

That’s where software such as Advanced Serial Port Monitor can come in handy. You can use any system utility such as rs485 sniffer or other systems with the serial port monitors to analyse and trouble-shoot the issue while making an application. 

Why Do Cross-Platform Apps Need Serial Port Monitoring?

Suppose you’re developing a health monitoring app that communicates with a wearable device via a USB-to-serial link. You test it on Windows—it works wonderfully. But on macOS or Linux, the app crashes or cannot find the device. What is wrong?

Every operating system manages hardware and serial communication in its own way. That can lead to compatibility problems, particularly if your application sends or receives data using COM ports or virtual serial ports.

By using a serial port monitor, you can observe exactly what’s occurring in real time—what data’s being sent, received, or blocked—no matter which operating system you’re using.

What Is a Serial Port Monitor?

Serial port monitor software is a piece of software that allows you to monitor, log, and analyze data that passes between your program and the device it’s connected to. Imagine it as a video camera for your data wires. It displays each command, each response, each byte.

Advanced Serial Port Monitor by AGG Software is an example. It’s particularly handy because:

• It supports real-time monitoring.
• It can work with virtual COM ports.
• You can easily log and monitor communication.
• It does not break the current connection (non-intrusive spy mode).

If you’re building a cross-platform POS (Point of Sale) application, the application should communicate with receipt printers through serial ports. On Windows, the printer is COM3, but on Linux, it may appear as: /dev/ttyUSB0.

When you’re testing, you notice receipts print normally on Windows but print gibberish on Linux.

With a serial port monitor, you benchmark the data transmitted in both systems. You find that the baud rate in Linux was configured incorrectly. When you fix that, the issue is resolved. Without the serial monitor, you could have wasted days guessing.

What are the Advantages for Developers?

Save Time Debugging

Instead of trial and error, you can actually view what’s going on.

Ensure Consistent Performance

By tracking the data transmission on various platforms, you can adjust your app for improved compatibility.

Catch Hidden Bugs

Certain bugs don’t reveal themselves until data is transmitted under certain conditions. Monitoring helps you catch them early.

Simulate Devices

With Advanced Serial Port Monitor, you can simulate a device. You can test your app even if you don’t have the hardware available.

Creating apps that run on many platforms is hard enough. Don’t let communication with hardware hold you back. Something like Advanced Serial Port Monitor provides insight into how your app communicates with attached devices—so you can identify problems quickly and resolve them simply.