What is RISC-V XIP in Linux?

RISC-V XIP (execute-in-place) runs code directly from flash memory, saving precious RAM on tiny devices — but it's been too buggy to stick around.

Why is RISC-V XIP support being removed from Linux?

It kept breaking for months at a time with no one testing or using it, so dev Nam Cao pulled the plug to clean up the kernel.

Sure, if someone complains and tests it properly — open source reversions happen all the time.

📦 Open Source Projects

Your RISC-V board hums to life — then crashes. Again. That's the story of XIP support in Linux, now facing the delete key after relentless bugs.

Open Source Beat Apr 07, 2026 4 min read

RISC-V XIP Linux support is being removed in Linux 7.1 after repeated long-term breaks. 𝕏
No real users or testers meant the feature was unsustainable, per maintainer Nam Cao. 𝕏
This pruning highlights RISC-V's maturing kernel ecosystem, focusing on reliable features. 𝕏

Published by

Community-driven. Code-first.

#Linux kernel #RISC-V #XIP #XIP support #embedded Linux #kernel development

Get the best Open Source stories of the week in your inbox — no noise, no spam.

Originally reported by Phoronix