RISC-V Tutorial Part 1 — RISC-V and the WCH CH32V Range

RISC-V : An Introduction

RISC-V is a processor architecture that seems to be all over the tech news, and yet, there are very few options for those looking for chips that come from the West. To make matters worse, programming these chips can be hard, their development environments are never easy, and for a tech that is supposed to be transformative, that just sucks. Why are there no microcontrollers for the RISC-V architecture like the PIC18 range or the STM32? Why can’t I get t a device that is breadboard friendly, easy to program, and just absolutely simple? Well it turns out that such a device range does exist, and it comes from China. For the first part of this tutorial series, we will start by learning about RISC-V, why it matters, who WCH are, and why their WCH CH32V range is an absolute monster of a part (or more simply, why it has such a high simple to power ratio).

What Is RISC-V?

RISC-V is an instruction set architecture (ISA)—a formal specification that defines the operations a CPU can perform and how those operations are encoded. In simple terms, the ISA acts as the interface between hardware and software, outlining the set of instructions a processor must understand and execute in order to function correctly. It’s important to clarify a common misconception: RISC-V is not a specific CPU design. It’s a specification. That means a RISC-V processor can be built in countless ways—from a basic breadboard prototype using relays to a high-performance SoC (System on Chip) with billions of transistors on a cutting-edge process node. The underlying hardware can vary dramatically; what makes a processor “RISC-V” is simply its ability to execute RISC-V binary instructions and return the correct result according to the spec. This is the same principle behind architectures like x86. Intel, AMD, and others have produced many different x86 processors over the decades. Internally, they differ in design, performance, and efficiency, but they all share compatibility with x86 machine code because they implement the same ISA. Where RISC-V stands apart is in its open and extensible nature. Unlike proprietary instruction sets such as ARM or x86—which are tightly controlled and require licensing agreements—RISC-V is available under a permissive open-source license. There are no fees, no legal hurdles, and no corporate gatekeepers. That means anyone—from a hobbyist to a semiconductor startup—can design a CPU that conforms to the RISC-V specification. This openness empowers innovation. It puts control back in the hands of engineers, educators, and builders, rather than large corporations or centralized institutions. In an era where technology is increasingly shaped by political and commercial interests, RISC-V represents a refreshing return to open, science-driven engineering. It aligns with the values of self-reliance, decentralization, and technological transparency—principles that many of us believe should form the foundation of modern computing.

Why Does RISC-V Matter?

RISC-V matters because it fundamentally changes who gets to innovate in the processor space. It was developed as an open standard, meaning that anyone—whether a hobbyist, startup, or multinational—can design a processor around a shared instruction set architecture without needing to negotiate licensing deals or pay royalties. This is a major departure from the dominant model, where architectures like ARM are tightly controlled intellectual property. ARM charges both upfront licensing fees and ongoing royalties, adding cost and complexity to any product built around their technology. On top of that, companies can’t just design and produce an ARM-compatible processor on their own. Access is gated, restricted, and often dictated by political or commercial interests. RISC-V flips that model on its head. There are no licensing fees, no royalties, and no gatekeepers. The ISA is freely available, and the community around it encourages experimentation and growth. This makes it far easier for engineers and companies to build custom processors tailored to specific applications—whether that’s for embedded systems, AI workloads, or general-purpose computing. The open nature of RISC-V also makes it an ideal platform for education, research, and rapid prototyping. Many developers are already deploying RISC-V cores on FPGAs, which allows for fast iteration, validation, and even commercialization as IP cores or full silicon products. And let’s be honest—the geopolitical implications are real. With Western governments increasingly restricting access to advanced chip technology, countries like China have turned to RISC-V as a viable path forward. Since RISC-V is open and unencumbered by international IP controls, it enables them to build their own processors without relying on foreign-owned designs. That might make some people nervous, but it also highlights just how powerful open standards can be. RISC-V doesn’t pick sides—it just gives people the tools to build. In a world where tech is becoming more centralized, more regulated, and more politically charged, RISC-V represents freedom—technical freedom, economic freedom, and intellectual freedom. For engineers who value independence and the ability to build without asking for permission, RISC-V isn’t just important—it’s essential.

Where Are All the RISC-V Devices?

At first glance, it might seem like RISC-V hasn't made much of a dent in the hardware landscape. You won’t find rows of RISC-V microcontrollers at your local electronics distributor, and most dev boards still lean heavily on ARM or x86. But here's the interesting part—billions of RISC-V cores are already out there, quietly running in the background. The catch? Most of them aren’t accessible to engineers or makers. These RISC-V cores are typically embedded deep inside larger system-on-chip (SoC) designs, often serving narrow but critical roles—controlling subsystems, managing power, handling security, or performing diagnostics. They're not exposed as standalone chips or general-purpose CPUs you can buy off the shelf. Take hard drives, for example. Many modern HDDs and SSDs include small RISC-V cores within the controller ASIC. These cores handle tightly scoped tasks like controlling the actuator arm, managing spin-up sequences, or overseeing data transfers. They’re invisible to the end user, but they’re doing real work in deployed systems all over the world. That said, when it comes to accessible, general-purpose RISC-V devices, especially in Western markets, the selection is still limited. Companies like SiFive have been early players in this space, producing RISC-V development boards and microcontrollers. Their tech is solid, but pricing tends to be steep—especially when compared to mass-produced ARM alternatives that benefit from decades of scale and mature ecosystems.

Why Aren’t There More RISC-V Devices — Especially in the West?

Despite the promise of RISC-V and its explosive growth in niche applications, general-purpose RISC-V devices are still surprisingly, rare, especially in Western markets. The reasons for this are more pragmatic than ideological, and they come down to a few key factors. First and foremost is software support. RISC-V is still relatively new compared to entrenched architectures like ARM and x86. While the hardware spec has matured rapidly, the surrounding ecosystem—compilers, libraries, toolchains, operating systems, and driver support—is still catching up. Many widely used libraries and frameworks are only now being ported to RISC-V, and a lot of critical tooling is still under development or only available in early-access forms. ARM, by contrast, has decades of maturity and an immense head start. Second, that lack of software maturity makes engineers hesitant to adopt RISC-V. In professional environments—where reliability, support, and delivery timelines matter—many engineers stick with what works. ARM has a proven track record, rich development tools, and stable platforms. By comparison, switching to RISC-V can feel risky, especially when deadlines are tight or product margins are thin. Third, there’s the economics of status quo. While RISC-V avoids licensing fees entirely, most Western companies already have deep investments in ARM IP, licensing deals, and existing silicon partnerships. The cost and time involved in redesigning around RISC-V can outweigh the perceived benefits—at least in the short term. Meanwhile, ARM continues to innovate, releasing new cores and expanding its offering, giving companies little reason to change unless they're forced to. And that leads into the fourth reason: lack of external pressure. In the West, engineers and manufacturers haven’t faced the same kind of technology restrictions seen in countries like China or Russia. They’ve had unfettered access to ARM and x86 technologies, with little incentive to seek alternatives. So while RISC-V has become a strategic necessity in parts of the world subject to export controls, it remains a curiosity—or at best, a future opportunity—in most Western design labs.

Why Is China Producing So Many RISC-V Devices?

Throughout this discussion, we've referred to the “West” for good reason—because RISC-V’s global momentum is being driven most aggressively outside of it, particularly by China. Over the past few years, Western governments have imposed a series of export controls and restrictions on China, limiting its access to advanced semiconductor technologies—including cutting-edge ARM cores and x86-based processors. These restrictions were intended to slow China’s technological advancement, particularly in sectors tied to national security or economic influence. But the unintended consequence? China doubled down on domestic development—and open-source technologies like RISC-V became the obvious path forward. With proprietary architectures like ARM and x86 effectively off the table, China moved quickly to embrace RISC-V. In just a few short years, the country shifted from being largely dependent on imported microcontrollers to producing its own, homegrown silicon. Entire research institutions, startups, and even state-backed initiatives are now pushing RISC-V development at full speed. And here’s the key point: because RISC-V is open, it can’t be sanctioned, restricted, or taken away. There’s no license to revoke, no royalties to cut off, and no backdoor lever for Western powers to pull. China recognized that, and as a result, it’s now producing RISC-V devices across a wide range of applications—from microcontrollers and edge devices to AI accelerators and custom SoCs. The implications of China’s involvement in RISC-V are significant. Not only does this approach insulate China from future tech sanctions, but it also gives them a scalable, modifiable architecture that can be tailored to their needs—with zero dependency on Western IP. And since RISC-V is license-free, these devices are already making their way into global markets, sometimes under the radar, but increasingly at scale.

What is the WCH CH32V Range?

The WCH CH32V range is a series of 32-bit microcontrollers developed by WCH (Nanjing Qinheng Microelectronics), a company known for its contributions to the semiconductor industry. WCH made its name with products like the CH340 USB-to-UART bridge chip, a ubiquitous part found in many Arduino-compatible devices, enabling seamless serial communication. The CH32V microcontrollers are built on the RISC-V architecture, marking them as part of the growing shift towards open, license-free chip designs. They’re 32-bit processors with a design and functionality strikingly similar to the widely used STM32 series from STMicroelectronics. In fact, engineers familiar with STM32 will find the CH32V microcontrollers quite approachable, thanks to their comparable programming methods, register layouts, and peripheral sets. One of the standout features of the CH32V range is its affordability and flexibility. With prices ranging from just a few cents for the basic models to a few dollars for higher-end versions, WCH offers a wide selection of chips suited for everything from budget-conscious prototyping to commercial applications. The range also spans multiple footprints and packaging options, making it a versatile choice for engineers looking to target various industries, from consumer electronics to industrial automation.

What Makes the WCH CH32V Range Such a Desirable Microcontroller?

While anyone can design a microcontroller, WCH has arguably created the holy grail of RISC-V microcontrollers with their CH32V series. These devices are more than just chips—they're an accessible entry point into the world of RISC-V, offering a set of features that stand out in both ease of use and versatility. For starters, the single-wire debug interface works right out of the box with minimal hassle, something that can often trip up even experienced developers with other architectures. Add to that the minimal and intuitive IDE, and you’ve got a microcontroller that doesn’t just perform—it makes development a smoother, more streamlined experience. Despite being 32-bit devices, the CH32V microcontrollers behave like the 8-bit micros of yesteryear—simple to use and quick to configure. This makes them especially appealing for engineers looking to jump into RISC-V without the steep learning curve that often comes with more complex systems. Another key advantage is the range of footprints available. Unlike many other manufacturers, WCH offers both QFN and TSSOP packages for space-constrained designs, as well as larger SOIC packages for easier hand soldering. Whether you’re working on a compact embedded device or a larger design, there’s a CH32V for you. What's more, these microcontrollers are incredibly easy to integrate into projects. Armed with a MitchElectronics SMD stripboard, we were able to get one of these devices up and running in a matter of minutes—no extensive setup required. It’s a testament to how accessible the CH32V range is for both professionals and hobbyists alike. Further simplifying things, these devices don’t require an external crystal oscillator, and they even function without a pull-up resistor on the reset pin in most cases. While we wouldn’t recommend skipping decoupling capacitors, the fact that they can be omitted without crashing the system is a clear sign of just how forgiving and robust these devices are. But the real eye-opener came when we placed the CH32V003 in a DIP-20 package—a perfect fit for breadboards. The realization hit us: we had just created the most hobbyist-friendly RISC-V device in existence. With minimal setup and maximum functionality, this is exactly the kind of RISC-V chip that opens doors to new possibilities for makers, students, and engineers alike.

Example CH32V Device: CH32V003

In this tutorial series, we’ll be using the CH32V003 microcontroller as our main example. This device strikes a perfect balance between performance and price, offering excellent specifications for its cost, making it a standout in the world of RISC-V development. Feature List The CH32V003 delivers a well-rounded feature set, especially when considering its incredibly low price point. With its 32-bit RISC-V core, plenty of GPIOs, and a range of useful peripherals like timers, ADC, and communication interfaces (USART, I²C, SPI), it's an ideal choice for a wide variety of embedded applications, including low-power sensors, data loggers, and simple control systems. For this tutorial series, we’ll be using the MitchElectronics RISC DIP, which places the CH32V003 into a DIP-20 package. This is a game-changer for prototyping, as it allows the chip to be easily integrated into breadboards, stripboards, and PCBs. The DIP-20 package makes it trivial to work with, reducing the complexity often associated with surface-mount designs, and ensuring the microcontroller is accessible to hobbyists and engineers alike.

Conclusion

RISC-V is an exceptional CPU ISA that stands out for its community-driven nature and open-source foundation, allowing anyone to contribute, develop, and innovate. This openness not only fosters creativity but also provides engineers with an alternative to costly ARM proprietary cores, significantly lowering design costs and opening the doors for more people to get involved in cutting-edge technologies. However, while the potential of RISC-V is clear, the West has yet to fully embrace it, especially in terms of accessible microcontrollers for engineers and makers. This has left a gap for those wanting to explore and utilize RISC-V in their projects. On the other hand, China has made impressive strides in developing RISC-V technology, and the WCH CH32V range of microcontrollers is undoubtedly a game-changer for hobbyists and engineers alike. With their affordability, simplicity, and robust features, these devices are exactly what the maker community needs to dive into RISC-V without the usual barriers.