How to Use RISC-V Custom Instructions With Ubuntu
Ubuntu, Monday, June 22nd, 2026
How developers can build and run non-standard RISC-V custom instructions on Ubuntu.
This Ubuntu technical article explains how developers can implement non-standard RISC-V custom instructions within Ubuntu's ecosystem.
It distinguishes simple data-processing custom instructions, which need only custom toolchains, from complex instructions requiring extra processor state and custom kernels. Canonical's Launchpad and Private Package Archives let teams build specialized applications and kernels while retaining access to official security patches.
The piece recommends using hwprobe for runtime detection of available extensions to preserve binary portability, and positions custom silicon as viable for high-volume, performance-critical workloads like networking, storage, and AI inference.