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What Is Amazon FreeRTOS?

Amazon FreeRTOS is a real-time operating system that augments the FreeRTOS kernel with libraries for connectivity, security, and over-the-air (OTA) updates. Amazon FreeRTOS also includes demo applications that show Amazon FreeRTOS features on qualified boards.

Amazon FreeRTOS is an open-source project. You can download the source code, contribute changes or enhancements, or report issues on the GitHub site at https://github.com/aws/amazon-freertos. We release Amazon FreeRTOS code under the MIT open source license, so you can use it in commercial and personal projects.

We also welcome contributions to the Amazon FreeRTOS documentation (Amazon FreeRTOS User Guide, Amazon FreeRTOS Porting Guide, and Amazon FreeRTOS Qualification Guide). The markdown source for the documentation is available at https://github.com/awsdocs/aws-freertos-docs. It is released under the Creative Commons (CC BY-ND) license.

The three types of Amazon FreeRTOS releases are major, minor, and long-term support (LTS). A major denotation indicates the addition of new features or significant updates to multiple libraries. All releases use date-based versioning with the format YYYYMM.NN, where:

  • Y represents the year.
  • M represents the month.
  • N represents the release order within the designated month (00 being the first release).

For example, a second release in June 2019 would be 201906.01.

Previously, Amazon FreeRTOS used semantic versioning for major releases. Although it has moved to date-based versioning (Amazon FreeRTOS 1.4.8 updated to Amazon FreeRTOS 201906.00), the FreeRTOS kernel and each individual Amazon FreeRTOS library still retain semantic versioning. In semantic versioning, the version number itself (X.Y.Z) indicates whether the release is a major, minor, or point release. This can create situations where semantic versioning indicates a major release based on changes that don’t affect an individual application. You can use the semantic version of a library to assess the scope and impact of a new release on your application.

LTS releases are maintained differently than other release types. Major and minor releases are frequently updated with new features in addition to defect resolutions. LTS releases are only updated with changes to address critical defects and security vulnerabilities. No new features are introduced in a given LTS release after launch. They are maintained for at least three calendar years after release, and provide device manufacturers the option to use a stable baseline as opposed to a more dynamic baseline represented by major and minor releases.

Amazon FreeRTOS Architecture

Amazon FreeRTOS is typically flashed to devices as a single compiled image with all of the components required for device applications. This image combines functionality for the applications written by the embedded developer, the software libraries provided by Amazon, the FreeRTOS kernel, and drivers and board support packages (BSPs) for the hardware platform. Independent of the individual microcontroller being used, embedded application developers can expect the same standardized interfaces to the FreeRTOS kernel and all Amazon FreeRTOS software libraries.

FreeRTOS Kernel

The FreeRTOS kernel is a real-time operating system kernel that supports numerous architectures and is ideal for building embedded microcontroller applications. The kernel provides:

  • A multitasking scheduler.
  • Multiple memory allocation options (including the ability to create statically allocated systems).
  • Inter-task coordination primitives, including task notifications, message queues, multiple types of semaphores, and stream and message buffers.

For more information about the FreeRTOS kernel, see FreeRTOS Kernel Fundamentals.

Amazon FreeRTOS Libraries

Amazon FreeRTOS includes libraries that make it possible to:

  • Securely connect devices to the AWS IoT Cloud using MQTT and device shadows.
  • Discover and connect to AWS IoT Greengrass cores.
  • Manage Wi-Fi connections.
  • Listen for and process Amazon FreeRTOS Over-the-Air Updates.

For more information, see Amazon FreeRTOS Libraries.

Downloading Amazon FreeRTOS Source Code

You can download versions of Amazon FreeRTOS that are configured for Amazon FreeRTOS-qualified platforms from the Amazon FreeRTOS console. For a list of qualified platforms, see Amazon FreeRTOS-Qualified Hardware Platforms or the Amazon FreeRTOS Partners website.

You can also clone or download Amazon FreeRTOS from GitHub. See the README.md file for instructions.

Amazon FreeRTOS Console

From the Amazon FreeRTOS console, you can configure and download a package that contains everything you need to write an application for your microcontroller-based devices:

  • The FreeRTOS kernel.
  • Amazon FreeRTOS libraries.
  • Platform support libraries.
  • Hardware drivers.

For more information, see Amazon FreeRTOS Console.

Development Workflow

You start development by downloading Amazon FreeRTOS. You unzip the package and import it into your IDE. You can then develop an application on your selected hardware platform and manufacture and deploy these devices using the development process appropriate for your device. Deployed devices can connect to the AWS IoT service or AWS IoT Greengrass as part of a complete IoT solution.

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Additional Resources

These resources might be helpful to you.

  • For questions about Amazon FreeRTOS for the Amazon FreeRTOS engineering team, you can open an issue on the Amazon FreeRTOS GitHub page.
  • For technical questions about AWS and Amazon FreeRTOS with the AWS community, visit the AWS Discussion Forums.
  • For technical support for AWS, visit the AWS Support Center.
  • For questions about AWS billing, account services, events, abuse, or other issues with AWS, visit the Contact Us page.