FAQ

Is FREE-WILi 2 open hardware? Yes. Hardware documentation, board support packages (like WiliBSP), and firmware are published so the device is a platform for running your own code, not just the in-box firmware.

Do I need the Raspberry Pi CM0 module for the device to work? No. The CM0 gives you onboard headless Linux, but its availability is described by FREE-WILi as "genuinely questionable," so the board is explicitly designed to work fully without one.

Can I add a CM0 myself later? Hand-soldering your own CM0 onto the board ("bring your own module") is described as being actively studied, not as a shipped, documented procedure.

What scripting options does the device have? Four: rTHON (a Python-like on-device language), WASM (sandboxed guest programs via the on-device WiliWasm engine), ZoomIO (nanosecond-precision RISC-V bit-banging on the main processor's second core), and WiliBLOCKS (point-and-click block automation). See Running apps.

Is FreeWili 1 software/firmware compatible with FREE-WILi 2? Not directly — FREE-WILi 2 moves from a single RP2040 to two RP2350 processors plus new hardware (an ESP32-C5, an optional Linux CM0, a larger display), so firmware and low-level code written for FreeWili 1 needs porting. The 20-pin GPIO header was deliberately kept pin-compatible so existing Orca modules keep working; see Pinout for the two header pins whose function changed.

Where do I get the developer API / SDK docs? freewili.com/onewili — this site covers using the device, not writing code against it.

Where can I buy one, or get support? Preorders and purchasing are linked from freewili.com; the FREE-WILi Discord is the day-to-day place for support and community questions.

Can I run other retro/console software, or port my own Fruit Jam project? The display processor is closely hardware-compatible with Adafruit's Fruit Jam (some pin assignments differ), which is how PICO-8 and Doom were brought up on the device — porting an existing Fruit Jam project should be comparatively straightforward.

Does the device work without any wireless connectivity? Yes — WiFi/Bluetooth (ESP32-C5), sub-GHz/LoRa, NFC/RFID, and IR are all separate subsystems from the core IO and scripting features.