freertos-patterns

FreeRTOS Patterns for ESP32 and RP2040

Use this skill for real concurrency problems on ESP32 or RP2040. Keep the main flow focused and load the detailed reference that matches the user's exact problem.

Resources

• references/patterns-task-creation.md - task lifecycle, priorities, stack sizing, and task startup
• references/patterns-queues.md - inter-task communication with queues
• references/patterns-synchronization.md - mutexes, semaphores, critical sections, and ISR coordination
• references/patterns-memory.md - stack sizing, heap checks, and monitoring
• references/patterns-advanced.md - watchdogs, notifications, event groups, timers, and affinity
• assets/workflow.mmd - architecture overview

When to Use

Use this skill when the request includes:

• multiple concurrent jobs on ESP32
• task priorities or preemption
• queue, semaphore, mutex, or notification design
• RP2040 setup1 and loop1 multicore coordination
• watchdog-safe long-running behavior
• debugging race conditions, stack overflows, or deadlocks

Do not use this skill when:

• the target is UNO or another single-core board
• a simple millis() scheduler solves the problem
• the request is only about one blocking loop with no concurrency requirement

Workflow

1. Confirm the target platform first:
   • ESP32 -> FreeRTOS task model
   • RP2040 -> dual-core coordination model
2. Identify the dominant problem:
   • task startup -> open patterns-task-creation.md
   • communication -> open patterns-queues.md
   • shared data or ISR signaling -> open patterns-synchronization.md
   • stack or heap risk -> open patterns-memory.md
   • watchdogs, notifications, timers, or affinity -> open patterns-advanced.md
3. Solve one synchronization boundary at a time. Avoid mixing queue, mutex, and notification advice unless the design truly needs all of them.
4. Keep board-specific details explicit. ESP32 FreeRTOS guidance and RP2040 multicore guidance are not interchangeable.