AkiraOS Documentation

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High-Performance WebAssembly OS for Embedded Systems

Production-ready embedded OS combining Zephyr RTOS with WebAssembly sandboxed execution.

Quick Start

New to AkiraOS? Get up and running in under 15 minutes:

  1. Installation Guide — Set up development environment
  2. Build Your First App — Hello World in WASM
  3. SDK Best Practices — Write better apps from day one
  4. Troubleshooting — Common issues and fixes

Already familiar? Jump to:

Building your own hardware product on AkiraOS? Start with AkiraOS as a west module — consume the core as a Zephyr module, add your board and vendor APIs without forking, then sign and release it.

What is AkiraOS?

AkiraOS is a production-ready embedded operating system that enables secure, dynamic application execution on resource-constrained devices through WebAssembly.

Core Features

  • Zero-Trust Execution — WASM sandboxing + capability-based access control
  • Real-Time Performance — Zephyr RTOS with <60 ns native call overhead
  • AOT Compilation — Optional native code execution (10–50x faster than interpreter)
  • OTA Updates — MCUboot secure firmware updates with rollback
  • Multi-Platform — 17 build targets: ESP32/-S3/-C3/-C6/-H2, nRF54L15, STM32, RP2040/RP2350, native simulation
  • Modular Connectivity — WiFi, Bluetooth, USB
  • Rich SDK — Display, sensors, RF, storage, networking, BLE, HID, and system APIs

Key Metrics

These are indicative design targets on ESP32-S3, not audited benchmark results. The reproducible benchmark suite lives in bench/akiraclaw_bench/ (B1–B5: WASM vs native, MPU, audit log, memory, BLE).

Metric Target
Native call overhead ~60 ns
WASM load time (100 KB app) ~80 ms
Max concurrent apps 2 (CONFIG_AKIRA_APP_MAX_RUNNING)
Memory per app 64–256 KB configurable
Boot time ~500 ms (ESP32-S3)

Learn more about the architecture

Documentation Sections

Getting Started

Install, build, and deploy your first WASM application.

Architecture

Deep dive into system design, components, and data flows.

API Reference

Complete native API documentation for WASM applications.

SDK Developer Guide

Complete Akira SDK documentation for WASM app development.

Platform Guides

Board-specific setup and configuration.

Hardware

Custom hardware designs and schematics.

Build a Product on AkiraOS

For hardware makers shipping their own product: consume AkiraOS as a Zephyr module in your own repository, add a board and vendor extensions without forking the core, then sign and cut a release.

  • AkiraOS as a west module — product repo layout, pinning a tag, extension points (native APIs, capabilities, hooks, profiles)
  • Porting Guide — bring up a new board, with per-SoC notes (ESP32, nRF, STM32, RP2040)
  • Signing & Release — west akira keys, image/app signing, SBOM, and the release workflow
  • Support & Compatibility — release channels, LTS, and the firmware ↔ WASM ABI ↔ SDK matrix

Resources

Additional learning materials and references.

Use Cases

IoT Gateways

  • Sensor data collection and cloud forwarding
  • OTA updates for remote devices

Wearables and Handhelds

  • Gaming consoles (AkiraConsole)
  • Fitness trackers (AkiraMicro)

Industrial Automation

  • Programmable logic with WASM
  • Secure remote updates
  • Multi-protocol connectivity

Education and Research

  • WASM on embedded systems
  • RTOS development
  • Security sandboxing research

System Requirements

Component Minimum Recommended
RAM 256 KB 512 KB + PSRAM
Flash 2 MB 8 MB+
CPU ARM Cortex-M33 Dual-core @ 240 MHz
Connectivity None WiFi + BLE

Contributing

AkiraOS is open source and welcomes contributions.

License

AkiraOS is licensed under the Apache License 2.0. Copyright © 2026 PenEngineering S.R.L and the AkiraOS Contributors. Commercial licenses are also available.

Third-party components: Zephyr RTOS, WASM Micro Runtime (WAMR), MCUboot, ESP-IDF.

Last updated: 2026-09-14 (AkiraOS v1.6.5)

Copyright © 2026 PenEngineering S.R.L and the AkiraOS Contributors. Licensed under the Apache License 2.0.