- Start in fake hardwareValidate launch files, joint naming, and controller wiring before touching actuators.
- Promote to real hardwareKeep your bringup notes identical so environment drift does not create false debugging noise.
- Log every runController state and failure timestamps should be easy to review later.
OpenArm ROS 2 control guide
The safest onboarding path is usually fake hardware first, real hardware second, and repeatable controller checks in between.
- Teams lose time when launch files differ across laptops
- Controller success without repeatable logs is hard to trust
- Real robot debugging is slower when fake hardware discipline is weak