User Guide

User Guide

This guide is for application developers who want to write real-time Rust applications using an existing RTIC distribution.

What is RTIC?

RTIC is a Rust framework for building event-driven, real-time embedded applications. It uses a set of attributes (#[rtic::app], #[task], #[shared], etc.) to generate code that implements the Stack Resource Policy (SRP) for safe resource sharing between tasks and interrupts.

The modular rewrite

In this rewrite, the framework is split into three layers:

1. rtic-core — parses the RTIC syntax, runs resource-ceiling analysis, and generates code for tasks, resources, init, and idle.
2. Compilation passes — independent crates that extend RTIC syntax (e.g., software tasks, automatic core assignment, deadlines-to-priorities).
3. Distributions — target-specific crates that bind the core and selected passes to a particular microcontroller, exposing the final #[rtic::app] macro.

As an application author, you pick a distribution, write an RTIC application using the supported syntax, and let the macro do the rest.

Core concepts

• Tasks — units of work that can be triggered by interrupts or by other tasks.
• Shared resources — data protected by the SRP ceiling protocol.
• Priorities — RTIC assigns ceilings based on task priorities so that higher-priority tasks can preempt safely.
• Init — the startup task that runs once and returns the initial shared resources.
• Idle — the loop that runs when no task is active.

Next steps

• Getting Started — build your first RTIC application.
• Syntax Reference — learn the RTIC attributes supported by the core and software-task passes.
• Supported Distributions — pick the right distribution for your target hardware.