# Nerves System Trellis
[](https://hex.pm/packages/nerves_system_trellis)
This project provides the base Nerves System configuration for the Trellis
hardware platform. Unlike traditional single-board computers, Trellis is
designed as a hardware template for creating custom embedded devices.
## Hardware Platform
Trellis is a flexible design centered around the Allwinner T113-S4 SoC. This
dual-core ARM Cortex-A7 processor includes 256 MB of integrated DDR3 RAM, which
simplifies PCB routing and reduces the overall footprint of custom designs.
A Trellis-compatible design typically adheres to the following core
specifications:
- The system is based on the Allwinner T113-S4 SoC.
- Storage and booting are handled via an SDIO flash chip usually connected to
the MMC0 peripheral.
- High-speed wireless connectivity can be provided by attached WiFi modules,
such as the Realtek RTL8188 or RTL8723.
- A USB-C connector attached to USB0 (for FEL mode and initial flashing)
- Debug console on UART4
### Reference Designs
There are several open-source hardware projects that utilize the Trellis
template. These repositories provide KiCad source files that can be used as a
starting point for your own custom hardware.
- [Trellis Core](https://github.com/protolux-electronics/trellis_core) contains
the primary KiCad source files for the base hardware template.
- [Wisteria Hardware](https://github.com/protolux-electronics/wisteria_hardware)
is the hardware implementation used for the 2025 Goatmire conference name
badge, demonstrating the template's use in a specific form factor.
## Features
This system configuration enables a standard set of peripherals across
Trellis-based hardware.
| Feature | Description |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| CPU | 1.2 GHz Dual-core ARM Cortex-A7 |
| Memory | 256 MB Integrated DDR3 |
| Storage | SDIO Flash (on MMC0) |
| Linux kernel | 6.12 with patches |
| IEx terminal | UART `ttyS4` |
| GPIO, I2C, SPI | Supported via [Elixir Circuits](https://github.com/elixir-circuits) |
| WiFi | Various Realtek modules supported |
| HW Watchdog | Enabled |
## Using
The most common way of creating a Nerves project using this system is to run
`mix nerves.new my_app` and export `MIX_TARGET=trellis`. See the
[Getting started guide](https://hexdocs.pm/nerves/getting-started.html) for more
information.
Initial flashing of Trellis hardware without an SD card is typically performed
using FEL mode. This allows you to load firmware onto a blank device over USB
without needing an SD card slot. You can find the necessary tools and
instructions for this process in the
[usb_fel_loaders](https://github.com/gworkman/usb_fel_loaders) repository.
Once the initial firmware is loaded, standard Nerves over-the-air (OTA) updates
can be used for subsequent deployments.
If you need custom modifications to this system for your device, see the
[Nerves documentation on customizing
systems](https://hexdocs.pm/nerves/customizing-systems.html).
## Linux kernel
The Linux kernel is built from the mainline 6.12 release with patches for the
Allwinner T113-S4. The default kernel configuration is in `linux_defconfig`.
## Special Thanks
Thank you to Connor Rigby who brought up initial support for the Allwinner
T113-S3.
