# #003: Pebble's Code is Free: Three Former Pebble Engineers Discuss Why It's Important (PART 1/2)

- Show: [Coredump Sessions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions)
- Published: 2025-02-11
- Length: 49m
- Episode: 4
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-02-11-003-pebbles-code-is-free-three-former-pebble-engineers-discuss-why-its-important
- Listen: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/memfault/episodes/003-Pebbles-Code-is-Free-Three-Former-Pebble-Engineers-Discuss-Why-Its-Important-PART-12-e3196l8

## Summary

Francois Baldassari, Chris Coleman, and Brad Murray, former engineers at Pebble, discuss the technical architecture and engineering decisions behind PebbleOS. They explain how a single codebase supported multiple hardware variants, enabling a platform approach that simplified updates and app compatibility. The team details their custom NOR Flash file system, app sandboxing using MPU fault handlers, and the strategic use of intentional crashes to generate core dumps for debugging. They also highlight the importance of analytics, serial protocols, and the collaboration between firmware and hardware teams in shaping the final product.

## Chapters

- [1:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-02-11-003-pebbles-code-is-free-three-former-pebble-engineers-discuss-why-its-important#t=73) Introduction: Pebble Engineers Reunite
- [3:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-02-11-003-pebbles-code-is-free-three-former-pebble-engineers-discuss-why-its-important#t=227) Why Open-Sourcing Pebble OS Is a Big Deal
- [6:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-02-11-003-pebbles-code-is-free-three-former-pebble-engineers-discuss-why-its-important#t=380) The Startup Firmware Mentality and Single Codebase
- [12:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-02-11-003-pebbles-code-is-free-three-former-pebble-engineers-discuss-why-its-important#t=750) App Compatibility, KEMU, and Sandboxing
- [14:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-02-11-003-pebbles-code-is-free-three-former-pebble-engineers-discuss-why-its-important#t=891) Sandboxing, Syscalls, and Crashing with Grace
- [20:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-02-11-003-pebbles-code-is-free-three-former-pebble-engineers-discuss-why-its-important#t=1225) Pebble File System: Built from Scratch
- [23:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-02-11-003-pebbles-code-is-free-three-former-pebble-engineers-discuss-why-its-important#t=1412) From Dumb to Smart: The Iterative Codebase Ethos
- [26:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-02-11-003-pebbles-code-is-free-three-former-pebble-engineers-discuss-why-its-important#t=1569) Core Dumps: Crashing Is a Feature
- [30:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-02-11-003-pebbles-code-is-free-three-former-pebble-engineers-discuss-why-its-important#t=1845) How Firmware Shaped Hardware Decisions
- [33:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-02-11-003-pebbles-code-is-free-three-former-pebble-engineers-discuss-why-its-important#t=2036) Rust, Easter Eggs, and Favorite Bugs
- [36:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-02-11-003-pebbles-code-is-free-three-former-pebble-engineers-discuss-why-its-important#t=2169) Wear-Level Failures, Security Exploits & Font Hacks
- [39:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-02-11-003-pebbles-code-is-free-three-former-pebble-engineers-discuss-why-its-important#t=2382) Why We Chose WAF (and Regret Nothing?)
- [42:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-02-11-003-pebbles-code-is-free-three-former-pebble-engineers-discuss-why-its-important#t=2561) What We’d Do Differently Next Time

## Topics

- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Pebble (company)
- PebbleOS (product)
- Memfault (company)
- Automatic (company)
- Fitbit (company)
- Google (company)
- KEMU (tool)
- FreeRTOS (other)
- FatFS (other)
- LittleFS (other)
- WAF (tool)
- Rust (other)
- FTDI (chip)
- INA226 (chip)
- ST (company)
- ARM (chip)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Shiny New Pebble with Eric Migicovsky](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-02-10-shiny-new-pebble-with-eric-migicovsky) (The Amp Hour)
- [395: I Can No Longer Play Ping Pong](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-12-10-395-i-can-no-longer-play-ping-pong) (Embedded.fm)
- [An Interview With Andrew Witte - Telistic Timepiece Technomania](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-12-11-an-interview-with-andrew-witte-telistic-timepiece-technomania) (The Amp Hour)
- [François Baldassari from Memfault on IoT Observability](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2023-02-15-francois-baldassari-from-memfault-on-iot-observability) (The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast)
- [390: Irresponsible At the Time](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-10-21-390-irresponsible-at-the-time) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

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