Run Erlang/Elixir on Microcontrollers and Embedded Linux

> MCU-class footprint (fits in 16 MB RAM)

That is absolutely not an MCU class footprint. Anything with an "M" when talking about memory isn't really an MCU. For evidence I cite the ST page on all their micros: https://www.st.com/en/microcontrollers-microprocessors/stm32...

Only the very very high performance ones are >1MB of RAM.

Espressif calls the ESP32 an MCU, and at least 1/3 of ESP32 models have >1MiB of onboard PS ("pseudo-static") RAM (i.e. DRAM with its own refresh circuit.) At least 20 of the ESP32 models do have 16MiB.

(And I would argue that the ESP32 is an MCU even in this configuration — mostly because it satisfies ultra-low-power-on-idle requirements that most people expect for "pick up, use, put down, holds a charge until you pick it up again" devices.)

So, sure, if you mean the kind of $0.07 MCU IC you'd stuff in a keyboard or mouse, that's definitely not going to be running Nerves (or any other kind of dynamic runtime. You need to go full bare-metal on these.)

But if you mean the kind of $2–$8 MCU IC you'd stuff in a webcam, or a managed switch, or a battery-powered soldering iron, or a stick vacuum cleaner with auto suction-level detection, or a kitchen range/microwave/etc with soft-touch controls and an LCD — use-cases where there's more-than-enough profit margin to go around — then yeah, those'll run Nerves just fine.

Even ESP32, the quintessential "punches above its weight" MCU, only packs 520KB of RAM by default. At the time of its release, that was a shitton of RAM for an MCU to have!

If you ship MCUs with 16MB of RAM routinely, you're either working with graphics or are actually insane.

The MCU I'm currently working with has 12KB of RAM and it feels luxurious.