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Bare metal runtime

Concept

A bare metal runtime is a lightweight software execution environment that runs directly on hardware without a full operating system. In the context of constrained microcontroller-class SoCs, bare-metal runtimes provide just enough system call interfaces and exception handling to support basic workloads, while advanced parallel ULP MCUs with their small main memories (<1MB) and lack of virtualization or security features typically only support simple bare-metal runtimes. Nexus-AM is a notable example, serving as a lightweight, multi-ISA bare metal runtime test generation environment that implements basic system call interfaces and exception handlers.

First seen 6/6/2026
Last seen 6/6/2026
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Bare metal runtime

Definition

A bare metal runtime is a lightweight software execution environment that executes directly on hardware without the mediation of a full operating system. In contrast to hosted environments that rely on a rich OS kernel with process isolation, virtualization, and security services, a bare-metal runtime supplies only the minimal infrastructure — basic system call interfaces, exception handlers, and device abstractions — needed to run application code on a target processor.

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RELATIONSHIPS

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Nexus-AM ← implements 98% 1e
Nexus-AM is described as a bare metal runtime test generation environment that implements basic system call interfaces and exception handlers.

CITATIONS

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[1] A bare metal runtime supplies only the minimal infrastructure — basic system call interfaces, exception handlers, and device abstractions — needed to run application code on a target processor without a full operating system. XiangShan ASPLOS'25 Tutorial — Function Verification
[2] Nexus-AM is a bare metal runtime test generation environment that is light-weight, easy to use, implements basic system call interfaces and exception handlers, and supports multiple ISAs and configurations. XiangShan ASPLOS'25 Tutorial — Function Verification
[3] Advanced parallel ULP MCUs rely on small main memories (<1MB) and microcontroller-class CPUs with no virtualization or security features, and hence only support simple bare-metal runtimes. A Heterogeneous RISC-V based SoC for Secure Nano-UAV Navigation