README.md: improve feature list #21059

kfessel · 2024-12-02T12:18:21Z

Contribution description

Inspired by comments in #21052 especially #21052 (comment) this tries to improve Riots Feature List

Testing procedure

read kfessel:p-improve-feature-list

Issues/PRs references

#21052
at the same time ( for future reference)
#21061
#21063

maribu

looks good to me, thanks for picking this up!

README.md

kfessel

remove the incompletness indicating ...

we do not claim completeness -> incompleteness is assumed (as ussual with such lists)

README.md

Teufelchen1 · 2024-12-04T10:37:55Z

README.md

+
+ * Security Features
+    - OTA updates via SUIT
+    - PSA Cryptographic API


I am all in to show the PSA here, but the module still says "This implementation is not complete and not yet thoroughly tested. Please do not use this module in production, as it may introduce security issues."
Maybe it's time to drop that warning, if we feel comfortable to showcase it in the readme? /cc @Einhornhool @mguetschow

kfessel · 2024-12-04T11:44:36Z

FYI: I am very ok with removing from and adding features to the lists

benpicco · 2024-12-04T12:20:27Z

README.md

+    - DTLS, EDHOC
+
+ * Device Drivers
+    - SPI, I2C, UART, USB


CAN should also be mentioned here, maybe also RTC, ADC, DAC

Suggested change

- SPI, I2C, UART, USB

- SPI, I2C, UART, USB, CAN

- RTC, ADC, DAC, PWM, Timer

benpicco · 2024-12-04T12:21:01Z

README.md

+    - Various sensors: Environmental sensors, IMUs, magnetometers, particulate matter sensors
+    - Various actuators: Servos, motors, dimmers, switches, RGB LEDs
+    - Displays and touchscreens
+    - GNSS modules


We don't have any of those GNSS drivers upstream AFAIK

Isn't the minmea package sufficient to use GNSS modules?

on the most basic level yes, but then you could also argue that the at module is enough to support an LTE module

minmea is more like gnss (nema) meassage interpreter without in depth module support so how about:

Suggested change

- GNSS modules

- GNSS

@benpicco How about ⬆️ instead of GNSS modules?

But I do get @benpicco's point. When we add GNSS, why not also add basic support. Color me convinced that GNSS is not a strong suit of RIOT and is better not listed on the front page.

benpicco · 2024-12-04T12:21:59Z

README.md

+    - UWB
+    - CNN-Lite
+    - LwIP
+    - Dose (single pair ethernet like networking on serial interface UART)


Feels a bit strange to mention this and not Ethernet/IEEE 802.15.4/SLIP

Suggested change

- Dose (single pair ethernet like networking on serial interface UART)

- IEEE 802.15.4

- Ethernet (also via USB)

- SLIP (or ethos networking via Serial)

- Dose (single pair ethernet like networking on serial interface UART)

benpicco · 2024-12-04T12:22:42Z

README.md

+    - Dose (single pair ethernet like networking on serial interface UART)
+
+ * System Features
+    - a preemptive, tickless scheduler with priorities


with option to do tick-based round-robin scheduling

Suggested change

- a preemptive, tickless scheduler with priorities

- a preemptive, tickless scheduler with priorities, optional periodic round robin within priorities

we might need a linebreak here to preserve the orginal line

OlegHahm · 2024-12-04T23:02:45Z

README.md

+
+ * Network Features and Protocols
+    - IPv6
+    - 6LoWPAN (RFC4944, RFC6282, and RFC6775)


I would also add RFC7668 here.

Suggested change

- 6LoWPAN (RFC4944, RFC6282, and RFC6775)

- 6LoWPAN (RFC4944, RFC6282, RFC6775 and RFC7668 )

OlegHahm · 2024-12-04T23:03:23Z

README.md

+ * Network Features and Protocols
+    - IPv6
+    - 6LoWPAN (RFC4944, RFC6282, and RFC6775)
+    - UDP


Suggested change

- UDP

- UDP

- TCP

i think there was some session limit(s) (good by and only one ?) -- @maribu had a recent look into

OlegHahm · 2024-12-04T23:03:53Z

README.md

+    - Integrate dynamic runtimes such as MicroPython, elm (JavaScript), and WASM
+
+ * Network Features and Protocols
+    - IPv6


and IPv4 via LWIP

Suggested change

- IPv6

- IPv6

- IPv4 via LwIP

just a nit, they usually spell themself lwIP

OlegHahm · 2024-12-04T23:04:13Z

README.md

+    - UDP
+    - RPL (storing mode, P2P mode)
+    - CoAP
+    - MQTT


via paho-mqtt and MQTT-SN

Other application layer protocols (from the top of my head: DNS and DHCPv6)

Suggested change

- MQTT

- MQTT via paho-mqtt and MQTT-SN

i think the dns and dhcp might need another place closer to RPL

OlegHahm · 2024-12-04T23:05:59Z

README.md

+
+ * System Features
+    - a preemptive, tickless scheduler with priorities
+    - flexible memory management


Which memory management are we referring to here?

probably the one that does not force you to have a heap available but can use it if you need it -- my guess

let's not add things that we are not sure what they mean ourself 😅

It is, as of now, the 2nd most prominent feature in the list.

I also don't know what is meant by that and I do agree that it should be dropped if nobody can explain it.

But maybe git praise and ask the author first?

This line was introduced with the README.md 29.12.12 @784ef523900f3b0942c43099f57621b30f6cab73 - it is in it current form the the second oldest line in this file predated only by (due to a typo fix) -- if the git history wasn't manipulated.
Its original author does already know that this question exists.

nur

a preemptive, tickless scheduler with priorities
und

IPv6
sind älter (und nicht leer)

if i did not misread tlsf-malloc replaces malloc if that pkg is used, so it has not to used explicitly -- ( the pool needs to be before the first allocation-call happens)

According to the initial paper it has:

a lower complexity class O(1) than first fit alloc (O(length of free list)) (I am assuming embedded libc take the easy route and did not check)

pooling is also an advantage (more safe) in that the malloc fails (at least that can be handled) rather then letting the heap run into the main stack

can work with multiple memory regions ( external memory would just add to the pool)

the low complexity class seems neither be achived by allways beeing cpu hungry nor by wasting lots of memory for management or letting it unused

the malloc fails (at least that can be handled) rather then letting the heap run into the main stack

that's what any sane malloc implementation would do, tests/sys/malloc will rely on that

can work with multiple memory regions

so do newlib/picolibc

I think this is a pretty niche feature, no need to advertise it so prominently

The main reason to add TLSF in the first place was its real-time capability (because of O(1)).

that's --fail out of mem and not crash the stack-- what any sane malloc implementation would do, tests/sys/malloc will rely on that

I never checked where riot places the main/start stack in relation to the heap and it has a more sane placement than i thought - somehow had the default stackplacement of avrlibc in my head(endless stack and endless heap until they crash): [data bss heap> empty ram <stack] , seems link the isr_stack might be less lucky sometimes but then the _eheap is adjusted.

thank you for that hint.

that only leaves the O(1) thing for tlsf

I still think allowing the allocator to be modified is quiet flexible but maybe this is not our feature but one of new/piolib(c)

Suggested change

- flexible memory management

waehlisch · 2024-12-05T08:24:49Z

just to ensure that we are all on the same page: we do want a README that is not concise, and we want to present a long list of features in the README before talking about how to get started and get involved with RIOT?

aabadie · 2024-12-05T10:06:22Z

README.md

+    - Rely upon POSIX APIs, user friendly hardware abstractions, and standard embedded Rust interfaces
+    - Integrate dynamic runtimes such as MicroPython, elm (JavaScript), and WASM
+
+ * Network Features and Protocols


This section could also contain LwM2M and CAN

benpicco · 2024-12-05T10:11:54Z

I see the problem with sprawling Readme files, but I think this is not the case here yet. Structure helps and this PR improves on that.

Related Projects should be moved further down though.

kfessel · 2024-12-05T10:18:33Z

Related Projects should be moved further down though.

even though this was kicked off in that "Related Projects"-PR. I would like to keep this topic out of this PR there are other current PR that target this -- so please keep this out

OlegHahm · 2024-12-05T10:22:03Z

I see the problem with sprawling Readme files, but I think this is not the case here yet. Structure helps and this PR improves on that.

I already posted that in Matrix but it actually belongs here:
I agree with @waehlisch here: I would keep the README concise rather than comprehensive. If someone is looking for a certain feature they would rather look at the documentation (the README may provide a pointer to this list, though). The README should give the reader an idea about which type of features are supported (as in "These are the kind of features RIOT support"). E.g., I consider it important information that RIOT supports TCP/IP plus some application layer protocols but I wouldn't go much more into the details here.

OlegHahm · 2024-12-05T10:22:43Z

And yes, I know that this post somewhat contradicts my previous comments. ;-)

kfessel requested a review from jia200x as a code owner December 2, 2024 12:18

github-actions bot added the Area: doc Area: Documentation label Dec 2, 2024

kfessel force-pushed the p-improve-feature-list branch from 9d62e4f to 4e8a001 Compare December 2, 2024 13:20

kfessel requested a review from maribu December 3, 2024 11:18

maribu added the Process: needs >1 ACK Integration Process: This PR requires more than one ACK label Dec 4, 2024

github-actions bot added the Process: missing approvals Integration Process: PR needs more ACKS (handled by action) label Dec 4, 2024

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kfessel force-pushed the p-improve-feature-list branch from 2bc5d86 to b1a1a9f Compare December 4, 2024 10:08

kfessel requested review from leandrolanzieri, aabadie, MichelRottleuthner and kaspar030 as code owners December 4, 2024 10:08

README.md: improve feature list

570f97b

kfessel force-pushed the p-improve-feature-list branch from b1a1a9f to 570f97b Compare December 4, 2024 10:09

Teufelchen1 reviewed Dec 4, 2024

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OlegHahm reviewed Dec 4, 2024

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	- SPI, I2C, UART, USB
	- SPI, I2C, UART, USB, CAN
	- RTC, ADC, DAC, PWM, Timer

-    - Dose (single pair ethernet like networking on serial interface UART)
+    - IEEE 802.15.4
+    - Ethernet (also via USB)
+    - SLIP (or ethos networking via Serial)
+    - Dose (single pair ethernet like networking on serial interface UART)

	- a preemptive, tickless scheduler with priorities
	- a preemptive, tickless scheduler with priorities, optional periodic round robin within priorities

	- 6LoWPAN (RFC4944, RFC6282, and RFC6775)
	- 6LoWPAN (RFC4944, RFC6282, RFC6775 and RFC7668 )

README.md: improve feature list #21059

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README.md: improve feature list #21059

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kfessel commented Dec 2, 2024 • edited Loading

Contribution description

Testing procedure

Issues/PRs references

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