Minimal RISC-V Virtual Machines. On Demand.
Custom-built with Buildroot. Ultra-small footprint. Runs anywhere from QEMU to bare-metal ESP32.
// capabilities
Every NodeStark VM is crafted for maximum efficiency — stripped to the bone, optimized for your exact use case.
2.7MB kernel + 8MB rootfs. No bloat, no unused modules. Every byte earns its place through aggressive Buildroot configuration.
Open ISA, no licensing fees. RV32IMAC instruction set — integer, multiply, atomic, compressed. Perfect for embedded targets.
Reproducible builds from source. Custom toolchain, minimal BusyBox config, stripped libraries. Deterministic output every time.
Runs inside TinyEMU or custom RISC-V emulators on the ESP32. Combine WiFi/BLE with a real Linux-class RISC-V environment.
Define your packages, kernel options, and init system. We generate a bespoke defconfig and build a VM tailored to your exact requirements.
Hardened kernel config, read-only rootfs option, overlay support, and watchdog integration. Reliable for IoT deployments.
// pipeline
Four steps. Zero friction. Your VM ready in minutes.
Tell us your target platform, required packages, storage constraints, and boot behavior. We translate that into a precise Buildroot defconfig.
NodeStark runs a full Buildroot toolchain build: cross-compiler, kernel, BusyBox, and all dependencies. Tree-shake everything unused.
Strip debug symbols, compress with LZ4/ZSTD, validate boot sequence on QEMU. Deliver signed images with checksums.
Download your artifacts. Flash to ESP32-S3 via LittleFS, mount in QEMU, or load into any RISC-V emulator. Boot in under 2 seconds.
// technical specifications
| Architecture | RV32IMAC |
| Kernel | Linux 6.1 / 6.6 LTS |
| Kernel Image | 2.7 MB |
| Root Filesystem | 8 MB |
| FS Format | ext4 / squashfs / cramfs |
| libc | musl / uClibc-ng |
| Userspace | BusyBox 1.36 |
| Build System | Buildroot 2026.02.2 |
| Boot Time | < 2 seconds |
| RAM (min) | 16 MB |
| Emulator | Custom C emulator / QEMU |
// run anywhere
One image format. Many targets. Zero compromises.
Custom RISC-V emulator in C. ESP32-S3 · 16MB flash · LittleFS + ESP-IDF.
Full system emulation. x86/ARM64 host → RISC-V guest. CI/dev.
Native bare-metal boot on HiFive Unleashed / Unmatched boards.
Xilinx/Intel FPGA with softcore RISC-V. Custom board bring-up.
NodeStark developed a custom RISC-V emulator in C for the ESP32-S3 (16MB flash). Linux image — 2.7MB kernel + 8MB rootfs — lives in LittleFS. Firmware built with ESP-IDF. Result: real Linux shell over UART on a $5 chip. → view source on GitHub
// launch sequence
Tell us your target platform and requirements. We deliver a bespoke RISC-V VM image — tested, optimized, and ready to boot.
// open source
Pure C RISC-V emulator for ESP32-S3. Boots Linux with 2.7MB kernel + 8MB rootfs via LittleFS. Open-source project, v1.0 available.
