Linux 6.11 on an ESP32-S3 Microcontroller
Running Linux normally requires more resources than you get with a typical microcontroller. Even inexpensive single-board computers intended for Linux generally have at least hundreds of megabytes of RAM and processors designed with operating systems in mind. An ESP32-S3, on the other hand, is a dual-core microcontroller that might have just a few megabytes of external RAM. GitHub user Paulneja has managed to make it work anyway, getting Linux 6.11 running natively on an ESP32-S3 alongside Wi-Fi, Bash, MicroPython, and writable storage.
How it works
This isn't Linux running inside an emulator. The kernel is compiled directly for the ESP32-S3's Xtensa architecture and executes on one of its two LX7 cores. The other core runs FreeRTOS, which is responsible for controlling the chip's Wi-Fi hardware. The two sides communicate through shared memory, allowing Linux to connect to a Wi-Fi network even though it can't directly control the radio.
The entire...
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