FreeRTOS Blog
Stay on top of feature releases and what's happening in the community.
Introducing Armv8.1-M Pointer Authentication and Branch Target Identification (PACBTI) support in FreeRTOS-Kernel
The Armv8.1-M architecture enhances security with Pointer Authentication and Branch Target Identification (PACBTI), building on TrustZone, MPU, and PXN to protect firmware, enforce privilege rules, and mitigate ROP/JOP attacks.
The Design of FreeRTOS-Plus-TCP: Part 1 - The Big Picture
FreeRTOS-Plus-TCP has been a popular TCP/IP stack for embedded systems for many years. This blog series will provide a deep dive into FreeRTOS-Plus-TCP (v4.x.x), breaking down its architecture and inner workings into digestible pieces.
FreeRTOS is now SESIP Level 3 certified
FreeRTOS has achieved certification for the Security Evaluation Standard for IoT Platforms (SESIP™) Assurance Level 3. Primarily used in embedded system processors, FreeRTOS remains one of the top choices among developers, supported by a community that has been collaborating for over 21 years...
New FreeRTOS Long Term Support version released
Today, we are excited to announce the third release of FreeRTOS Long Term Support (LTS) - FreeRTOS 202406 LTS. This release includes the latest FreeRTOS kernel v11.1 that supports Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP) and Memory Protection Units (MPU). The FreeRTOS-Plus-TCP v4.2.1 library provides improved IPv6 support (with backward compatibility mode) with a clean separation of the IPv4 and IPv6 files making it easy to optimize your application footprint...
Introducing FreeRTOS Kernel version 11.0.0 -- A Major Release with Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP) Support
FreeRTOS Kernel version 11.0.0 is now available for download. This release includes the following features...
Simplifying Authenticated Cloud Connectivity for Any Device
Featured FreeRTOS IoT reference integrations show how to integrate the Long-Term Support (LTS) versions of FreeRTOS libraries with hardware enforced security to help create secure cloud connected devices. This blog describes how to use Wi-Fi and Cellular connectivity modules that implement the AWS IoT ExpressLink specification to achieve the same outcome even on microcontrollers (MCUs) too small to run the software libraries...
Designing an energy efficient and cloud-connected IoT solution with CoAP
Two of the main factors considered during the development of Internet of Things (IoT) devices are efficiency and cloud compatibility. Efficiency, both in energy consumption and data usage, is important to reduce operational and maintenance costs - especially for cellular, battery-operated devices. Energy saving is a puzzle with many pieces, and choosing the appropriate communication protocol is an important piece. In general, IoT devices must communicate with cloud platforms that can process and analyze the data to generate useful insights, in addition to device management...
FreeRTOS roadmap and code contribution process now published on freertos.org
Starting today, the FreeRTOS roadmap is published on freertos.org and GitHub. With this update, you can transparently access information on specific FreeRTOS features and have a consolidated view of upcoming ongoing, and shipped FreeRTOS projects to plan your projects accordingly...
OPC-UA over TSN with FreeRTOS
At Smart Production Solutions (SPS) fair in Nuremberg in November 2022 a group of 8 partners - Analog Devices, Arm, Amazon Web Services (AWS), B&R Industrial Automation, Lattice Semiconductor, Schneider Electric, Texas Instruments and NXP...
Previewing the new Arm Corstone FreeRTOS Featured Reference Integration
Most people know Arm for our hardware designs and our Cortex CPUs, but our ongoing commitment to the software ecosystem that enables this hardware is just as critical. It's really important to us that developers can easily take advantage of the latest features of our CPUs, ML accelerators and other system IP...
Achieving Unbrickable MCU FOTA for your FreeRTOS-powered Firmware -- The Microvisor IoT Approach
FreeRTOS brings a stack of functionality to embedded applications, enabling them to become much more flexible, and their developers to be more creative. But there's a key requirement of Internet of Things (IoT) applications in particular that takes a lot of extra development work to put in place, to make it truly secure, and to eliminate the risk of application crashes that cause devices to stop functioning -- over-the-air (OTA) updates that can't brick devices.
FreeRTOS website now available in Simplified Chinese
Over the years, more and more FreeRTOS users, including customers and partners, have been visiting the FreeRTOS website from the Greater China region. We are excited to announce Simplified Chinese language support for the FreeRTOS website, enabling customers from the Greater China region to easily search and browse content in their preferred language. With...
New FreeRTOS Long Term Support version released
It has already been 18 months since we introduced FreeRTOS Long Term Support (LTS). With FreeRTOS LTS, developers can rely on a FreeRTOS version that provides feature stability, and security patches and critical bug fixes for two years from the release date. We released the first LTS version (FreeRTOS 202012 LTS) with all libraries needed...
FreeRTOS Extended Maintenance Plan registration now open
We are excited to announce that registration for the FreeRTOS Extended Maintenance Plan (EMP) is now open. FreeRTOS EMP subscriptions allow embedded developers to receive critical bug fixes and security patches on their chosen FreeRTOS Long Term Support (LTS) version for up to 10 years beyond the end of its initial support period. During the...
The FreeRTOS-Plus-TCP library is now more robust and secure
While we work on the FreeRTOS Labs IPv6 project, we are continuing to improve the robustness, security, and modularity of the FreeRTOS-Plus-TCP library. To that end, today, we are excited to release the FreeRTOS-Plus-TCP V3.0.0 library. FreeRTOS-Plus-TCP V3.0.0 adds comprehensive unit test coverage for all lines and branches of code, and has undergone penetration testing...
Announcing the official release of FreeRTOS CMSIS Packs
In keeping with our philosophy of enabling users to consume our software in the environment of their choice, we are excited to announce the official release of FreeRTOS Long Term Support (LTS) libraries in the Common Microcontroller Software Interface Standard (CMSIS) Pack format. Based on the Arm Cortex processors, CMSIS-Pack defines a standardized way to...
Introducing Three Featured FreeRTOS IoT Integrations for More Secure IoT Applications
We are excited to announce three Featured FreeRTOS IoT Integrations developed in collaboration with our partners Espressif, NXP and STMicroelectronics. Each project demonstrates the use of the latest FreeRTOS and AWS Embedded C SDK Long Term Support (LTS) libraries, and the latest microcontroller architecture capabilities to raise the bar for the security and modularity of...
Delta Over-the-Air Updates
The ability to update device software Over-the-Air (OTA) is becoming increasingly important as more embedded devices get connected to the cloud. OTA updates enable operators to apply security fixes and add new features to already deployed devices, at scale, quickly and reliably, and without requiring an expensive or impractical technician visit. While OTA benefits all...
What's New in December 2021 FreeRTOS Releases
We're excited to share these latest updates, FreeRTOS now includes a MCUBoot demo project that can be used as a reference for a secure bootloader for FreeRTOS-based applications. MCUBoot is a configurable secure bootloader for 32-bit microcontrollers. It can operate as the first or second stage bootloader, with support for cryptographic verification of software images.
Announcing Extended Maintenance Plan for FreeRTOS
Today, we are excited to announce the Extended Maintenance Plan for FreeRTOS. Provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS), the FreeRTOS Extended Maintenance Plan (EMP) allows embedded developers to receive critical bug fixes and security patches on their chosen FreeRTOS Long Term Support (LTS) version for up to 10 years beyond the expiry of the initial...
What's New in November 2021 FreeRTOS Releases
We're excited to share these latest updates, The FreeRTOS download now contains an example of code that demonstrates a method of minimizing the time that an application spends in privileged mode in FreeRTOS ports on microcontrollers (MCUs) with Memory Protection Unit (MPU) support. These FreeRTOS ports with MPU support enable MCU applications to be more...
FreeRTOS LTS libraries are now included in our partner toolchains
In December 2020 we introduced the first FreeRTOS Long Term Support (LTS) version. With the LTS version, developers can rely on a FreeRTOS version that provides feature stability, and security patches and critical bug fixes for two years from the release date. Response from our partners was strong, and they are integrating the LTS version...
FreeRTOS adds reference implementations for symmetric multiprocessing (SMP)
Earlier this year, we introduced the FreeRTOS Symmetric Multiprocessing GitHub branch for multi-core microcontrollers. We are excited to share that we now have reference implementations on two platforms - xcore from XMOS and Raspberry Pi Pico. With FreeRTOS SMP, developers can use the SMP capabilities of multi-core microcontrollers to design applications. Multi-core microcontrollers, in which...
FreeRTOS 202107.00 now includes the SNTP library for time information in IoT applications
FreeRTOS 202107.00 now includes the Simple Network in their FreeRTOS-based IoT applications. The SNTP client library, named coreSNTP, is used to synchronize clocks between a device and the cloud. You can use coreSNTP in IoT applications where devices...
FreeRTOS AWS reference integrations now include FreeRTOS 202012.01 LTS libraries
FreeRTOS AWS reference integrations are pre-integrated FreeRTOS projects ported to microcontroller-based evaluation boards that demonstrate end-to-end connectivity to AWS IoT Core. This helps developers save months of development effort and accelerate time to market. FreeRTOS AWS reference integrations now include the new managed AWS IoT Over-the-Air (OTA) update library, AWS IoT Jobs library, the AWS...
Secure OTA Updates for Cortex-M Devices with FreeRTOS
IoT devices are getting rapid adoption in every market segment and becoming a major target for cyberattacks. A significant proportion of attacks on IoT devices happens due to a lack of software updates once commissioned in the field or updates done insecurely. Cyber attackers often target vulnerabilities in outdated software components to take control of...
Introducing the FreeRTOS Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP) Github Branch
With processes shrinking and approaching the limits of physics, in the last decade we have all got used to multicore chips of increasing complexity and performance extending Moore’s law in our desktops and laptops. In embedded control, where cost, size and robustness demands often take precedence over performance, it seems the time for multicore has...
FreeRTOS 202104.00 includes new managed OTA and MQTT capabilities for IoT applications
FreeRTOS version 202104.00 includes managed AWS IoT Over-the-Air update (OTA) and coreMQTT Agent libraries, and the AWS IoT Device Defender custom metrics feature. Developers can use these libraries to remotely update IoT device firmware, manage IoT device fleets, and monitor IoT device fleet metrics. These libraries have been optimized for modularity and memory usage for...
Why Write Another MQTT Library?
Libraries capture a set of decisions about how the world should work. If you're lucky, the model in the library is a suitable match for your needs and constraints. If you're not lucky, you either end up with something that's wasteful, or requires changes, or you must search for a different library that's a better...
FreeRTOS Long Term Support now includes AWS IoT over-the-air update, AWS IoT Device Defender, and AWS IoT Jobs libraries
FreeRTOS Long Term Support (LTS) release 202012.01 now includes the over-the-air update (OTA), AWS IoT Device Defender, and AWS IoT Jobs libraries in the first LTS release (FreeRTOS 202012.00 LTS). With this release, developers can use the FreeRTOS LTS libraries to update firmware, manage device fleets, and monitor fleet metrics for their microcontroller-based IoT devices....
Why SESIP™ Certification for FreeRTOS Matters
FreeRTOS is now certified for the Security Evaluation Standard for IoT Platforms (SESIP™) Assurance Level 2. FreeRTOS is software that, in most cases, runs on embedded system processors. More than ever, developers are building FreeRTOS applications while participating in a growing community that has been working together for more than 18 years. Although the primary...
Benefits of Using the Memory Protection Unit
The device you are reading this on relies on your processor’s Memory Management Unit (MMU) to sandbox each running application. Without its ability to prevent erroneous or even malicious accesses to the wrong memory – be it the operating system’s data or another task’s – consumer devices would be a minefield of bugs and security...
Getting the Most Out of FreeRTOS on AVR® Microcontrollers
It was exciting to see two new AVR® microcontroller (MCU) ports in FreeRTOS™ version 10.3.1, or rather six new ports. These ports not only cover the megaAVR® 0-series of MCUs and the brand-new AVR Dx devices, but also the three main compilers for AVR MCUs - MPLAB XC8 compiler, AVR-GCC, and IAR Embedded Workbench® for AVR....
Using Visual Studio Code for FreeRTOS development
Visual Studio Code has become a very popular code editor. You may be using it for development tasks already, but perhaps not yet for embedded development work. Or perhaps you are using it for embedded development work as you prefer the editing environment over your existing embedded development tools, but you haven’t been able to...
Introducing FreeRTOS Long Term Support
Over the last few years, we have been working with our embedded developer partners and customers on increasing the pace at which we deliver feature updates for FreeRTOS kernel and libraries. Even as we do this, we recognize that there is tension between iterating quickly to add new capabilities, and embedded developers’ needs for feature...
Developing LoRaWAN Applications with FreeRTOS
We are excited to introduce the LoRaWAN - FreeRTOS Labs Project, a reference implementation of LoRaWAN connectivity with FreeRTOS. This project is meant to demonstrate how FreeRTOS can simplify the development of IoT applications using LoRa technology. LoRa is a long range and low-power wireless technology operating in the unlicensed spectrum. It is designed for...
Introducing the FreeRTOS Cellular Library
We are happy to introduce a preview of a new FreeRTOS library designed to simplify the development of IoT applications that connect to the cloud using cellular LTE-M technology. LTE-M, also known as Cat-M1, is a low-cost LPWAN technology developed by 3GPP as part of Release 13 of the LTE standard, a component of the...
Using Formal Methods to validate OTA Protocol
AWS FreeRTOS is a real-time operating system designed to run on IoT devices to enable them to interact easily and reliably with AWS services. The Over the Air (OTA) update functionality makes it possible to update a device with security fixes quickly and reliably. The OTA Library, a part of the overall OTA functionality that...
What's new in the 202011.00 FreeRTOS release
We are happy to announce the 202011.00 FreeRTOS release is now available for immediate download. This release brings in a number of new features and capabilities by graduating libraries from the published LTS roadmap into the official FreeRTOS distribution - the LTS roadmap page gives an insight into what will follow. In recognition of this...
Decrease RAM Footprint and Accelerate Execution with FreeRTOS Notifications
Introduction Queues and semaphores are textbook features provided by all operating systems. Developers new to FreeRTOS use them because they are familiar with them. In most use cases, though, FreeRTOS direct-to-task notifications provide a smaller and up to 45% faster alternative to semaphores, and FreeRTOS message buffers and stream buffers provide a smaller and faster...
FreeRTOS Kernel v10.4.0 is now available
FreeRTOS kernel v10.4.0 is now available for download. The new version brings numerous new features such as improved direct to task notifications functionality, enhancements to kernel ports that support memory protection units (MPUs), and a new Linux port. See the change history for additional details. Direct to Task Notification Enhancements Prior to FreeRTOS V10.4.0, each...