Watchdog Timer

A watchdog timer is a hardware or software component that monitors system operation and automatically resets or restarts a device if it becomes unresponsive or stuck. The system must periodically "feed" or reset the watchdog timer to prevent it from triggering, ensuring that if the main program crashes or hangs, the device will automatically recover. Watchdog timers are commonly used in embedded systems, microcontrollers, and critical applications where system reliability and automatic fault recovery are essential.