Key Features of Popular Embedded RTOSes

Hundreds of real-time operating systems (RTOS) are available, but only about ten are commonly used in the market. This article outlines the key characteristics of several popular choices.

1. FreeRTOS

Website: https://www.freertos.org/

Source Code: https://github.com/FreeRTOS

• Open-source and free to use
• Lightweight kernel
• Extensive documentation and learning resources

2. μC/OS

Website: https://www.silabs.com/developers/micrium

• Open-source and free to use
• Well-structured source code with clear comments
• Lightweight design

3. ThreadX

Website: https://threadx.io/

• Open-source and free to use
• Extensive safety and security certifications
• Rapidly evolving ecosystem

4. Zephyr

Website: https://zephyrproject.org/

• Open-source and free to use
• Comprehensive documentation
• Supports a wide range of architectures

5. NuttX

Website: https://nuttx.apache.org/

• Open-source and free to use
• Focus on standards compliance (e.g., POSIX)
• Extensive platform support