py/mphal.h contains declarations for generic mp_hal_XXX functions, such
as stdio and delay/ticks, which ports should provide definitions for. A
port will also provide mphalport.h with further HAL declarations.
The bootloader needs string0.c because of memset, memcpy and others,
without string0.c it magically links, but calling any of those
functions results in a hard fault.
In debug mode, modpyb needs printf, and including stdio.h leads to
conflicts due to the redefinitions made in the simplelink drivers.
Such functions are never used after MicroPython has started, and they
remain in RAM wasting space. Now they are placed in a special section
named "boot" which sits just before the heap, allowing us to extend
the effective heap area up to the new boot section. Right now, this
gives us back ~1K, but in the future, more functions might end up in
there as well.
The port currently implements support for GPIO, RTC, ExtInt and the WiFi
subsystem. A small file system is available in the serial flash. A
bootloader which makes OTA updates possible, is also part of this initial
implementation.
Damien George