Nerves
Elixir loves Embedded - Craft bulletproof embedded software
Nerves is an open-source platform that combines the rock-solid BEAM virtual machine and Elixir ecosystem to easily build and deploy production embedded systems. It handles complex infrastructure concerns like networking, discovery, I/O, and firmware updates, letting developers focus on application logic.
2K
GitHub Stars
medium
Learning Curve
4.0
DX Score
Pricing
Model
free
Free Tier
Completely free and open-source.
Features
- ✓ Lean firmware builds (20-30 MB)
- ✓ Immutable firmware for predictable deployments
- ✓ Built on fault-tolerant Erlang runtime
- ✓ Secure minimal-by-default approach
- ✓ Nerves Livebook for interactive development
- ✓ Supports Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone, and more
- ✓ Over-the-air firmware updates
- ✓ Integration with Phoenix and LiveView
- ✓ Elixir Nx for on-device ML
Pros
- + Leverages Erlang's battle-tested reliability
- + Small firmware footprint
- + Immutable deployments prevent configuration drift
- + Strong community and documentation
- + Access to entire Elixir ecosystem
Cons
- - Limited to Elixir/Erlang ecosystem
- - Steeper learning curve than Python alternatives
- - Smaller community than Raspberry Pi OS
- - Hardware debugging can be challenging
Best For
indie hacker startup
elixir erlang beam embedded iot raspberry-pi firmware