In a landmark move that underscores the growing importance of open-source technology in embedded systems, Microsoft has announced that it will transition its Azure Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) as an open-source to the Eclipse Foundation.
The technology enjoys wide popularity, as Azure RTOS, an embedded development suite featuring the ThreadX real-time operating system, has been instrumental in powering over 12 billion devices globally.
But wait, haven’t you heard about Azure RTOS? Well, let’s break it down in short. It’s a real-time operating system designed by Microsoft specifically for deeply embedded applications. Its benefits are high-speed performance and reliability, real-time multithreading, inter-thread communication and synchronization, and memory management.
This shift marks the rebirth of Azure RTOS as Eclipse ThreadX, offering a vendor-neutral, open-source, safety-certified operating system ideal for real-time applications.
By publishing Eclipse ThreadX as an open-source project, we are placing it at the heart of a vibrant ecosystem led by the Eclipse Foundation and our industry leading partners.
The move promises several benefits, including broader and uninterrupted access to ThreadX technology, accelerated innovation through community participation, a transparent development process for enhanced collaboration, and a broader reach, making it more accessible for various applications.
Starting in Q1 2024, the Eclipse ThreadX project will be available under the MIT license, encompassing ThreadX, NetX Duo, FileX, GUIX, USBX, LevelX, and related tooling and documentation. Microsoft pledges to support the project with the latest certifications to ensure the continuity of safety and security-certified releases.
To learn more, refer to Microsoft’s announcements, check out the Eclipse Foundation blog post, or visit the official Eclipse ThreadX website.
