doc: flash: add flash simulator guide

Adds a dedicated flash_simulator.rst page describing the RAM-backed flash
simulator driver and how to enable it.

Fixes #20654.

Signed-off-by: Isaac Jerish <[email protected]>

Author: Isaac Jerish

doc/hardware/peripherals/flash_simulator.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+.. _flash_simulator:
+
+Flash Simulator Driver
+######################
+
+Overview
+********
+The **Flash Simulator** is a RAM-backed driver that emulates non-volatile flash
+storage.  It lets applications, file systems, and test cases run on targets
+that lack real flash hardware, or when avoiding wear-out on physical devices
+(e.g.\ during continuous-integration runs).
+
+Because it stores data in system RAM, all contents are lost at system reset
+and timing characteristics do **not** represent real flash latency.
+
+Enabling the driver
+*******************
+
+Kconfig
+=======
+
+Enable :kconfig:`CONFIG_FLASH_SIMULATOR` (the driver) and, if you plan to
+mount a file system on it, :kconfig:`CONFIG_FLASH_SIMULATOR_REGS`.
+
+Devicetree
+==========
+
+Add a node with compatible ``"zephyr,flash-sim"`` in your board DT overlay.
+A minimal example maps 256 KiB of simulated flash at address ``0x0``::
+
+   / {
+        flash0: flash@0 {
+            compatible = "zephyr,flash-sim";
+            reg = <0x0 0x40000>;     /* 256 KiB */
+            erase-block-size = <4096>;
+            write-block-size = <4>;
+        };
+   };
+
+The node becomes instance 0 of the flash driver and is exposed through the
+common :ref:`flash_api`.
+
+Building and running
+********************
+
+Quick test on QEMU
+==================
+
+The sample below formats the simulated flash with LittleFS, creates a file,
+and prints its contents.
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+   # From the Zephyr repository root
+   west build -b qemu_cortex_m3 samples/drivers/flash_simulator
+   west build -t run
+
+Expected output::
+
+   *** Booting Zephyr OS build v4.x ***
+   flash_sim: initialized 256 KiB simulated flash
+   littlefs: mounted
+   Wrote:   Zephyr Flash Simulator demo!
+   Readback: Zephyr Flash Simulator demo!
+   littlefs: unmounted
+
+Using with your own application
+===============================
+
+1. Enable the driver in *prj.conf*::
+
+      CONFIG_FLASH_SIMULATOR=y
+
+2. Add the devicetree overlay shown above (adapt size if needed).
+
+3. Use the normal flash API, file-system API, or MCUboot/DFU tools exactly as
+   you would on real hardware.
+
+Limitations
+***********
+* Contents live **only** in RAM → lost on reset or power-off.
+* Erase and write times are host-RAM fast; not suitable for timing studies.
+* Single-thread access only; no concurrent multi-core testing.
+* Sector layout is flat—parameterized by the ``erase-block-size`` property.
+
+References
+**********
+* :zephyr_file:`samples/drivers/flash_simulator`
+* :doxygengroup:`flash_interface`
+* :ref:`file_systems`
+* `LittleFS documentation <https://littlefs.readthedocs.io/>`__

doc/hardware/peripherals/index.rst

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ Peripherals
    entropy.rst
    edac/index.rst
    flash.rst
+   flash_simulator.rst
    fuel_gauge.rst
    gnss.rst
    gpio.rst