Apache NuttX and small systems - Hello, World !

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2024-11-26 12:00:04

In the world of small embedded systems, balancing functionality with strict resource limitations is a constant challenge. Apache NuttX, with its scalable and modular design, allows developers to select only the features needed for a given application and then fine-tune the system to minimize resource usage. However, the vast number of configuration options can be overwhelming, and without exploring the OS implementation or analyzing the generated binaries, it can be difficult to effectively optimize resource consumption.

I've been curious for some time about how minimal we can make NuttX while still implementing useful applications. It's time to check it out. This is the first post in the series "Apache NuttX and small systems", where we'll experiment with reducing the size of the final NuttX image, explore how low we can push resource requirements, and, if all goes well, implement some useful applications that fit into some small embedded targets.

We're going to start with the classic "Hello, World!" example, examine its memory consumption, and see how different configuration options influence the final result.