The community answer to vendor lock-in: a minimal, open-source GCC + Makefile stack for the CH32V and CH5xx WCH RISC-V parts, with no dependency on the vendor IDE. Includes minichlink, a cross-platform flasher that also speaks gdbserver for source debugging.
| Platform | GitHub |
|---|---|
| Author | cnlohr (Charles Lohr) |
| License | MIT |
| Silicon | WCH CH32V003 / CH32V / CH5xx family |
| What it is | Headers, linker scripts, examples and a build flow that let you write bare-metal CH32V003 code against the reference manual directly — no HAL layer in the middle. Runs on Windows, Linux and WSL. |
|---|---|
| minichlink | A libusb-based programmer for the CH-Link / WCH-Link adapters with ~400 kBaud printf-over-SWD and gdbserver-style debugging, so Visual Studio Code works as a debugger front-end. |
| Ecosystem | The project is the base of a wider community stack: Arduino cores, PlatformIO platform support, and RTOS ports (FreeRTOS, RT-Thread) for WCH RISC-V MCUs. |
| For you | If you want a fully auditable, license-friendly toolchain for volume CH32V003 production — no vendor IDE seats — this is the stack to evaluate. |
Is this project maintained?
It is an active community project with regular contributions; check the repository for the latest state.