An ESP32 Dashboard

Monitoring How a Popular Microcontroller Uses Resources

- By Pedro Bertoleti

Embedded devices are constrained by limited RAM restricted processing capacity, and finite, nonvolatile storage. In this article, Pedro explains the importance of monitoring usage of an ESP32 microcontroller's resource allocation (including CPU/ processing, RAM memory, heap usage, and stack usage) in real time, and how the FreeRTOS operating system optimizes ESP32 resource usage.

When designing embedded systems, one of the most critical challenges developers face is understanding and managing the microcontroller's hardware resources. Unlike high-end computing platforms, which typically feature abundant memory and processing power, embedded devices are known for being constrained by limited RAM, restricted processing capacity, and finite nonvolatile storage. These limitations make it absolutely essential to continuously monitor how the system's resources are allocated and consumed in real-time. Failure to do so often leads to unpredictable malfunctions, performance degradation, or outright system crashes. Knowing how to measure the microcontroller CPU and memory resources, so as to extract every drop of computational power from them, is the key for successful embedded system development.