RISC-V Hardware Is Here. What About Software?

RISC-V hardware momentum is everywhere: more tape-outs, more open cores, more startups, and increasingly affordable boards that everyone can try. But hardware alone doesn’t make a usable platform. From blinking LEDs to critical space exploration missions, adoption depends on the software ecosystem being mature, well-integrated, and ready for developers to rely on.

So, how ready is RISC-V software today? Toolchains, kernel support, hypervisors, RTOSes and simulators are all evolving, but progress happens at different speeds across the stack. Users still encounter rough edges, and contributors often struggle to navigate the ecosystem and find where help is needed most.

This talk shares a personal journey through RISC-V software enablement: from building Linux images and contributing to Zephyr, to enabling hypervisors and firmware. I’ll highlight what’s solid, what’s still forming, and the challenges faced along the way - and how anyone can begin contributing and using RISC-V.