FreeRTOS

🧩 1. Basic Information

OS Name: FreeRTOS
Developer: Originally Richard Barry, now Amazon
First Released: 2003
Latest Version: FreeRTOS v11.x (2025)
License Type: MIT (open-source, permissive)
Supported Platforms: ARM Cortex-M, AVR, PIC, MSP430, x86, many microcontrollers
Still Active?: ✅ Yes

⚙️ 2. Kernel & Architecture

Kernel Type: Real-time microkernel (non-monolithic)

Based On: Written from scratch in C for embedded systems

Architecture Support: Extremely portable across 35+ architectures

Boot System: Loaded via embedded bootloader (no BIOS/UEFI)

Scheduling: Preemptive & cooperative multitasking, priority-based

Memory: No virtual memory, uses static/dynamic memory allocation

🌟 3. Key Features

Very small footprint (often <10KB RAM)

Preemptive multitasking with configurable priorities

Tasks, queues, semaphores, mutexes for synchronization

Software timers, tickless idle for low-power

Direct interrupt handling integration

Modular: include only what you need to save memory

Supports static or dynamic task allocation

📈 4. Version History & Important Milestones ✅

Version / Event —> Year —> Milestone / Impact
First Release —> 2003 —> Initial lightweight RTOS for microcontrollers
Ports to ARM Cortex —> 2006–08 —> Became default RTOS choice for ARM dev boards
Amazon acquisition —> 2017 —> Amazon acquired FreeRTOS for secure IoT focus
FreeRTOS v10 —> 2017 —> Improved kernel APIs, memory schemes
AWS IoT Integration —> 2018+ —> Official libraries for MQTT, OTA, TLS etc.
FreeRTOS v11.x —> 2025 —> Latest updates, modular connectivity + security

🎯 5. Target Audience & Use Cases

Embedded developers: building on microcontrollers (MCUs)

IoT products: sensors, smart home devices, wearables

Automotive: ECUs, automotive safety controllers

Industrial control: PLCs, factory automation

Robotics & drones: precise real-time task scheduling

✅ 6. Pros & Cons

Pros —> Cons
Extremely lightweight, <10KB RAM footprint —> No built-in GUI
MIT licensed, easy for commercial products —>Not designed for complex MMU systems
Massive MCU portability & examples —>Steep learning curve for beginners
Real-time precision (deterministic latency) —>Manual memory & task management
Integrated with AWS IoT, secure OTA

🎨 7. UI Demo & Visuals

No GUI: FreeRTOS runs without a graphical interface

Developers typically show:

Can visualize with IDE RTOS awareness plugins (like STM32CubeIDE, MPLAB Harmony)

📦 8. Ecosystem & App Support

Not for traditional “apps” — instead runs compiled C code on microcontrollers

Libraries for MQTT, TLS, HTTP, OTA, Bluetooth (via Amazon FreeRTOS)

Supported by STM32Cube, Microchip Harmony, TI SDKs

Often combined with hardware-specific drivers & HALs

🔐 9. Security & Updates

Secure kernel maintained by Amazon & FreeRTOS community

Integrated support for TLS, PKCS #11, secure OTA updates

Best practices rely on compiler memory protection + hardware isolation

Frequent minor version updates with security patches

🌍 10. Community, License & Development

License: MIT — fully open source, commercial-friendly

Huge global community on GitHub, AWS forums, vendor communities (ST, Microchip)

Developer tools: CMake, GCC, IDE RTOS viewers

Amazon maintains core kernel + official libraries for cloud integration

Hundreds of real-world examples, tutorials, YouTube demos