Memory budgeting

Skill wedsamuel1230/arduino-skills/skills/memory-budgeting

Use when Arduino or embedded projects hit SRAM, flash, heap, stack, partition, JSON-buffer, or performance limits, or when reviewing String use, F() placement, OTA slots, FreeRTOS stacks, or memory margin.From its SKILL.md

Install

npx -y skills add wedsamuel1230/arduino-skills --skill memory-budgeting

Assembled from the repository path, not quoted from the project. Check it against their README if it does not work.

One thing to look at

20 stars20 stars. Stars are a popularity signal and not a quality one, but at this level it is likely that nobody has read this closely except its author, and you would be relying on your own review.

SKILL.md

2.8 KB, as published. Nobody here has run it

Memory Budgeting

Make memory a measured budget, not a nominal board label. The implementation is embedded C/C++; scripts may parse build or runtime logs when that is the useful deterministic tool.

Intake

Record exact board/module, flash/RAM/EEPROM/PSRAM, bootloader and partition layout, framework, compiler flags, libraries, static buffers, task stacks, filesystem/OTA needs, peak protocol sizes, and available measurement output.

Process

Separate static data, code/flash, heap, task stacks, interrupt state, filesystem, bootloader, and OTA/update slots.
Establish a numeric budget and minimum margin for every category. Use board references rather than copying a family-level number into a project claim.
Capture compiler size output and map changes to a feature or dependency.
Measure runtime free heap, largest block, stack high-water marks, and reset/ allocation failures under representative load where the framework exposes them.
On AVR, keep literals in flash with F() where appropriate, prefer bounded buffers and fixed-size storage, and avoid unbounded dynamic String use. On ESP32/RP2040, still bound buffers and distinguish heap, stack, flash, and filesystem.
Re-run the stress case after each memory-affecting change and record the tradeoff.

Anti-rationalization

Shortcut	Response
"The datasheet says 520 KB, so memory is fine."	Separate usable heap, stacks, reserved regions, and radio/RTOS use.
"It compiled."	Inspect size output and exercise runtime allocation paths.
"Make the buffer bigger."	Bound the protocol and prove the required maximum.
"Use String everywhere."	Check fragmentation and lifetime; use bounded alternatives where needed.
"OTA only needs the application image."	Budget both update slots, bootloader, metadata, and rollback image.

Verification

Build-size output and runtime memory evidence name the exact target/version.
Each budget has a margin and a failure response.
Stress tests cover peak message, sensor, logging, radio, and task load as applicable.
Optimization does not remove bounds, safety checks, or recovery behavior.

Shared output contract

Use the shared Arduino skill contract: state assumptions, required tools and versions, implementation steps, tests/evidence by proof stage, known limitations, and recovery/security notes.