FreeRTOS Real Time Kernel
FreeRTOS is a lightweight, powerful, and easy-to-use real-time operating system designed for microcontrollers and small embedded systems. As a market-leading RTOS, it’s downloaded every 170 seconds by developers worldwide and trusted across all industry sectors — from automotive to industrial automation, and from consumer electronics to IoT.
Distributed under the permissive MIT open-source license, FreeRTOS is entirely free to use and backed by strong commercial support. With its intuitive API and minimal overhead, it’s the perfect solution for building responsive, reliable embedded applications.
Key Features
1. Open Source and Commercially Supported
FreeRTOS is available completely free under the MIT license and comes with the option of commercial licensing for added IP protection and long-term support (LTS). This makes it ideal for both hobby projects and commercial deployments.
2. Simple and Intuitive API
One of FreeRTOS’s biggest advantages is its deliberately simple API, designed to get developers up and running quickly. This makes it easy to learn and integrate into new or existing projects.
3. Minimal Resource Overhead
FreeRTOS is designed to run efficiently on even the smallest microcontrollers, with very low ROM and RAM usage — a major benefit in resource-constrained environments.
4. Extensive Architecture and Toolchain Support
It supports over 40 architectures and more than 15 toolchains, including the latest microcontrollers, giving developers a wide range of hardware choices.
5. Rich Demos and IoT Integrations
The system includes a variety of in-depth demos and IoT reference integrations that can be easily downloaded, compiled, and customised. It’s ready out-of-the-box for cloud and local connectivity solutions.
6. Security and Maintenance Libraries
FreeRTOS includes long-term support (LTS) libraries that come with critical bug fixes and security updates — essential for maintaining robust, secure applications over time.
7. Active Developer Community and Support Forum
The community behind FreeRTOS is large, active, and supportive. Whether you’re stuck on a technical issue or seeking optimisation tips, help is always at hand through forums and documentation.
Partner Ecosystem
FreeRTOS is backed by a strong ecosystem of hardware and software partners, enhancing its reliability and ease of integration. Notable partners include Realtek, Texas Instruments, Wittenstein, Mediatek, and Xilinx, all of whom contribute tools, IDE integrations, and support resources.
Who Is It Best For?
Embedded Developers & Engineers
Whether you’re building custom firmware for an industrial machine or developing an IoT sensor, FreeRTOS is built with embedded developers in mind — flexible, efficient, and robust.
Startups & Hobbyists
For projects on a budget, FreeRTOS offers full functionality without the licensing costs. The open-source model allows for rapid prototyping and community-driven support.
Commercial Product Teams
Teams looking for scalable, supported solutions benefit from FreeRTOS's commercial license option and partner ecosystem. It's ideal for products that require longevity, compliance, and security.