A simpler alternative to layered state machines in embedded software
This post challenges the common practice of nesting 'finite state machines' inside each other when building embedded software, and proposes a flatter, simpler approach. The idea is to manage complex device behavior without the hard-to-follow hierarchy. It's a niche software design topic, most relevant to embedded developers.
When writing software for small hardware devices (like microcontrollers in appliances or sensors), developers often use a 'finite state machine' (FSM) — a way to define exactly what state a device is in and what triggers it to change states. As devices get more complex, these FSMs get stacked in layers (a hierarchy), which can make the code confusing and hard to maintain.
This post proposes an alternative design that avoids that layered structure, aiming to keep the logic cleaner and easier to follow. No specific benchmarks or code details are visible from the available excerpt, but the concept could interest anyone working on embedded systems or thinking about how to structure state-transition logic — including, at a stretch, AI agent workflows that manage complex state.
Key points
- A finite state machine (FSM) tracks what 'state' a device or program is in and when it should change.
- Stacking FSMs in a hierarchy (common for complex devices) makes code harder to read and maintain.
- This post proposes a flatter alternative that avoids deep nesting.
- Most useful for embedded software developers; indirectly relevant to anyone designing state-based logic.
Quick term guide
- finite state machine
- A design pattern that defines all the possible states a program can be in and the conditions that move it from one state to another.
- hierarchy
- A layered structure where one state machine contains others inside it, like nested folders.
- developers
- Developers are people who build software, apps, or websites.
- benchmarks
- Benchmarks are standard tests used to compare performance.
- benchmark
- A test used to compare speed, quality, or cost.
- embedded systems
- Software built into specific hardware devices (like a thermostat or microcontroller) rather than running on a general-purpose computer.
- agent workflow
- A set of steps an AI follows automatically to complete a series of tasks in order.
- workflows
- The specific order of steps taken to finish a piece of work.