edge-agents Hardware Support — Pi, Jetson, STM32MP25, ctrlX CORE (MPU vs MCU)
edge-agents Hardware Support
The open-source edge-agents runtime runs on Linux / MPU-class edge hardware — boards that boot a Linux kernel and run the 30 MB Go engine in Docker. It does not run on bare-metal Cortex-M microcontrollers today. This page is the honest support matrix, straight from the repo README, and the MPU-vs-MCU explainer that the rest of this site depends on.
Published by ForestHub.ai. Source of truth: github.com/ForestHubAI/edge-agents.
Supported hardware
| Target | Status | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Raspberry Pi 5 | ✅ verified | Linux SBC (arm64) |
| NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano | ✅ verified | Linux SBC (arm64) |
| STM32MP25 | ✅ verified | MPU — Cortex-A35 running Linux (not Cortex-M bare metal) |
| Bosch Rexroth ctrlX CORE | ✅ verified | Industrial Linux controller |
| x86 NUC / generic Linux | supported | amd64/arm64 |
| macOS arm64/amd64 | dev only | — |
| Bare-metal MCU (Cortex-M) | ❌ not supported by the Go engine | Roadmap only |
Every verified target boots Linux. The common denominator is not “small device” — it is “runs a Linux kernel that can host a ~30 MB Go binary in Docker.”
MPU vs MCU — the distinction that matters here
This site is mostly about MCUs (microcontrollers): bare-metal or RTOS firmware on a Cortex-M core like the STM32H7, STM32L4, or the ESP32 family. The edge-agents runtime targets MPUs (microprocessors): chips with an application core (Cortex-A) that boots Linux.
| MCU (microcontroller) | MPU (microprocessor) | |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Cortex-M (M0/M4/M7) | Cortex-A (e.g. A35, A55) |
| OS | Bare metal / FreeRTOS / Zephyr | Linux |
| Memory | KB–MB SRAM, no MMU | MMU + DRAM (hundreds of MB+) |
Runs edge-agents? | No (roadmap) | Yes |
| Example | STM32H743, ESP32-S3 | STM32MP25, Raspberry Pi 5 |
The naming trap: STM32MP25 is an MPU, not an MCU, even though it carries the “STM32” brand. It has Cortex-A35 cores running Linux. The edge-agents engine runs on that Linux side. It does not run on the bare-metal Cortex-M part of any STM32. See What is an MCU Agent? and TinyML vs MCU Agents for the broader on-device-vs-off-device framing.
Per-board notes
- Raspberry Pi 5 / Jetson Orin Nano — arm64 Linux SBCs. Cross-build the engine with
docker buildx build --platform linux/arm64 ...and run it; GPIO/UART/MQTT nodes map onto the board’s Linux device tree. The Jetson adds a GPU for heavier local inference. - STM32MP25 — verified MPU. The agent runs on the Cortex-A35 Linux side; if you also have deterministic Cortex-M co-processor firmware on the same package, that remains hand-written (see STM32 Agent).
- Bosch Rexroth ctrlX CORE — an industrial Linux controller; the engine deploys as a containerized/Snap workload alongside the controller’s automation runtime.
- x86 / generic Linux — supported for amd64 and arm64; useful for a gateway or edge server.
- macOS — development only, for building and testing workflows locally.
Not supported: bare-metal MCU
The Go engine needs a Linux userspace. It does not run on a bare-metal Cortex-M microcontroller, and it does not generate Cortex-M C firmware. If your target is an STM32H7, STM32L4, or ESP32 running firmware directly, that is the firmware track this site covers separately — see ESP32 Agent, STM32 Agent, and Generated C Code for MCU Agents. Bare-metal MCU support for edge-agents is on ForestHub’s roadmap.
Repo & CTA
// open source · verified on Pi 5 · Jetson · STM32MP25 · ctrlX CORE
$ docker run --rm -p 8081:8081 edge-agents/engine:arm64★ Star edge-agents on GitHub · ForestHub.ai platform · Book a meeting →
FAQ
Q: Does edge-agents run on the STM32H7? No. The STM32H7 is a bare-metal Cortex-M7 microcontroller. The runtime needs Linux, so it runs on the STM32MP25 (Cortex-A35, Linux) instead — a different chip in the same brand family.
Q: Can I run it on a Raspberry Pi Zero / Pi 4? The verified board is the Pi 5. Other arm64 Linux SBCs with enough RAM are generally compatible since the engine is a standard Docker workload, but only the Pi 5 is listed as verified.
Q: Is bare-metal MCU support coming? It is on ForestHub’s roadmap. It is not shipping today, and nothing on this site should be read as claiming agents run on bare-metal Cortex-M right now.