SparkFun IoT RedBoard - FreeRTOS vs. Espressif Arduino Core

Looking at the hookup guide for the SparkFun IoT RedBoard at https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/io … -guide/all

The introduction states, “The operating system is freeRTOS with LwIP”, however all of the examples under the Software Setup and Programming heading are sketches based on the Arduino IDE with its programming framework, libraries and example code.

Excuse my confusion, but what am I missing here?

Does the board come with FreeRTOS installed, on one core, but that can be replaced by the Espressif Arduino Core for development with the Arduino IDE, or is it set up to handle FreeRTOS on one core and Arduino on another, or something else?

Using the Arduino IDE puts a wrapper around FreeRTOS to make programming like all other Arduino boards. But you don’t get all FreeRTOS functions. When you upload a sketch it loads the parts of the OS you need. If you just blink an LED, not much, if you do a web page lots get loaded. If you want to access all of FreeRTOS use one of the other IDEs.

Random Nerd Tutorials and Techtutorialsx both have lots of ESP32 examples. W3Schools is where I go for help with web page info. But there are lots of good info out there.

Dale

Thanks - so if I’m understanding correctly, the ‘magic’ under the covers that is going on between FreeRTOS and the Arduino sketch is handled within the Espressif Arduino Core, and that it is native to the ESP32 WROOM implementation (and thus the FreeRTOS handler is built-in to that platform), rather than something that is unique to the SparkFun IoT RedBoard?

I’m familiar with the Random Nerd tutorials, but not with the Techtutorialsx that you referenced - I will have to check that out.

OK, in looking further into this it appears to me that FreeRTOS is integrated into the ESP-IDF (Espressif IoT Development Framework).

Now it’s making sense…