:loudspeaker: If there's anyone out there, in the...

# embedded-kotlin

[darkmoon_uk]

📢 If there's anyone out there, in the black inky void, holding a flame of hope for Embedded Kotlin (especially within [JB]) then take a look at the potential here: https://www.espressif.com/en/news/ESP32_C3

The massively popular Espressif ESP8266 chip is getting a spiritual successor in the form of their new C3 chip.
The interesting thing for Kotlin is that, whereas before the ESP8266 had a proprietary Tensilica core, the new one is RISC-V based.

This implied a shift surely opens up easier pathways for a Kotlin / PlatformIO / C3 three-way cuddle puddle - a traction-gainer for sure 👍

At this point the response might be 'Kotlin isn't suitable for a platform of this small size' to which I'd say '_why shouldn't it be?_' - Kotlin/Native should theoretically be able to compile simple enough programs to MCU sizes; just as C++ scales both large and small.

Maintaining Embedded as a goal, especially for the new IR compiler and linker, could bring both direct and side-benefits, on Kotlin's epic journey to platforms far and wide.

[msink]

LLVM 8.0 - currently used in Kotlin/Native - did not support RISC-V
Latest LLVM 11.0 supports two variants:

riscv32    - 32-bit RISC-V
    riscv64    - 64-bit RISC-V

So this at least requires LLVM update.

And better thread for this question is #kotlin-native

[darkmoon_uk]

@msink Thanks, that's good info. My post was not a question, merely highlighting an opportunity for Kotlin in the Embedded space. But yes, the #native channel are likely to know if they plan to rebase native compilation abilities on LLVM 9.0 or later, when RISC-V support was introduced - it's the right questions to ask.