Zephyr (operating system): Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Real-time operating system}}

{{Infobox OS

| name = Zephyr

| logo = Zephyr OSRTOS logo 2015.svg

| logo size =

| logo caption = Zephyr Project logo

| logo alt =

| screenshot = <!-- Filename only; no wikilink, Image: or File: -->

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| family = [[Real-time operating system]]s

| working state = Current

| source model = [[Open source model|Open source]]

| released = {{Start date and age|20172016|1007|1726|df=yes}}<ref name="zephyr-project" />

| latest release version = 24.72.0

| latest release date = {{Start date and age|20212025|1007|1719|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite web |url= https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/releases/tag/zephyr-v2v4.72.0 |title= Zephyr v2v4.72.0|website= [[GitHub]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.zephyrproject.org/zephyr-rtos-4-2-now-available-introduces-renesas-rx-support-usb-video-class-and-more|title= Zephyr RTOS 4.2 Now Available|website= [[Zephyr blog]]}}</ref>

| marketing target = [[Internet of things]], [[embedded system]]s

| programmed in = [[C (programming language)|C]]

| language = English

| update model = <!-- APT, Windows Update, etc. -->

| package manager = <!-- dpkg, rpm, Windows installer, etc. -->

| supported platforms = [[ARM architecture|ARM]] ([[ARM Cortex-M0|Cortex-M0M]], [[ARM Cortex-M1R|-M1]], [[ARM Cortex-M3|-M3R]], [[ARM Cortex-M4|-M4A]]), [[ARMARC Cortex-M7(processor)|-M7ARC]], [[ARMMIPS Cortex-M23architecture|-M23MIPS]], [[ARMNios Cortex-M33|-M33II]], [[ARM CortexRISC-R|-R4V]], [[ARM Cortex-RTensilica|-R5Xtensa]], [[ARM Cortex-R|-R82SPARC]], [[ARM Cortex-A|-A53]]), [[x86]], [[x86-64]], [[ARC (processor)|ARC]], [[RISC-V]], [[Nios II]], [[Tensilica|Xtensa]], [[SPARC]]

| kernel type = [[Microkernel]] (pre-v1.6)<ref name="NanoMicrokernel"/><ref name="Monolithic1"/><ref name="Monolithic2"/><br />[[Monolithic kernel|Monolithic]] (v1.6+)<ref name="Monolithic1"/><ref name="Monolithic2"/>

| userland =

| ui =

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| preceded by = Wind River Rocket

| succeeded by =

| website = {{URL|www.zephyrproject.org}}

| other articles =

}}

'''Zephyr''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|z|ɛ|f|_|ə|r}}) is a small [[real-time operating system]] (RTOS)<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://linuxgizmos.com/zephyr-a-tiny-open-source-iot-rtos/|title=Meet Linux's little brother: Zephyr, a tiny open-source IoT RTOS|date=2016-02-17|work=LinuxGizmos.com|access-date=2018-02-23|language=en-US}}</ref> for connected, resource-constrained and [[embedded device]]s (with an emphasis on [[microcontroller]]s) supporting multiple architectures and released under the [[Apache License]] 2.0. Zephyr includes a [[Kernel (operating system)|kernel]], and all components and [[Library (computing)|libraries]], [[device driver]]s, [[protocol stack]]s, [[file system]]s, and [[firmware update]]s, needed to develop full [[application software]].<ref name="docs.zephyrproject.org">{{Cite web |url=https://docs.zephyrproject.org/latest/introduction/ |title=Zephyr Project documentation: Introduction |language=en}}</ref>

It is named after [[Zephyrus]], the ancient Greek god of the west wind.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://docs.zephyrproject.org/latest/develop/west/index.html#west-name|title=West (Zephyr's meta-tool) — Zephyr Project Documentation|website=docs.zephyrproject.org}}</ref>

==History==

Zephyr originated from Virtuoso RTOS for [[digital signal processor]]s (DSPs).<ref name="zp19">{{cite web |last=Clarysse |first=Ivo |date=November 22, 2019 |url=https://www.zephyrproject.org/zephyr-an-operating-system-for-iot/ |title=Zephyr – An Operating System for IoT |website=Zephyr Project}}</ref><ref name="eej"/> In 2001, [[Wind River Systems]] acquired Belgian software company Eonic Systems, the developer of Virtuoso. In November 2015, Wind River Systems renamed the [[operating system]] to ''Rocket'', made it open-source and royalty-free.<ref name="eej">{{Cite news |last=Turley |first=Jim |date=25 November 2015 |url=http://www.eejournal.com/archives/articles/20151125-windriver/ |title=Wind River Sets Rocket RTOS on Free Trajectory |website=Electronic Engineering Journal |publisher=Techfocus Media |language=en-US |access-date=2018-02-23}}</ref> Compared to Wind River's other RTOS, [[VxWorks]], Rocket had a much smaller memory needs, especially suitable for sensors and single-function embedded devices. Rocket could fit into as little as 4 KB of memory, while VxWorks needed 200 KB or more.<ref name="eej"/>

In February 2016, Rocket became a hosted collaborative project of the [[Linux Foundation]] under the name ''Zephyr''.<ref name="zp19"/><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Guerrini |first=Federico |date=2016-02-19 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/federicoguerrini/2016/02/19/the-internet-of-things-goes-open-source-with-linux-foundations-zephyr-project/ |title=The Internet of Things Goes Open Source with Linux Foundation's Zephyr Project |work=[[Forbes]] |access-date=2017-01-12}}</ref><ref name="zephyr-project">{{Cite web |url=https://www.zephyrproject.org/news/linux-foundation-announces-project-build-real-time-operating-system-internet-things-devices |title=The Linux Foundation Announces Project to Build Real-Time Operating System for Internet of Things Devices |author=<!-- Human name. --> |date=17 February 2016 |website=Zephyr Project |publisher=Linux Foundation |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310073146/https://www.zephyrproject.org/news/linux-foundation-announces-project-build-real-time-operating-system-internet-things-devices |archivedate=2016-03-10}}</ref> Wind River Systems contributed the Rocket kernel to Zephyr, but still provided Rocket to its clients, charging them for the cloud services.<ref name="patel-zephyr-project"/><ref name="eej"/> As a result, Rocket became "essentially the commercial version of Zephyr".<ref name="patel-zephyr-project">{{Cite web |url=http://blogs.windriver.com/wind_river_blog/2016/02/wind-river-welcomes-linux-foundations-zephyr-project.html |title=Wind River Welcomes Linux Foundation's Zephyr Project |last=Patel |first=Niheer |date=17 February 2016 |website=Wind River Systems |access-date=18 February 2016 |archive-date=21 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160221003830/http://blogs.windriver.com/wind_river_blog/2016/02/wind-river-welcomes-linux-foundations-zephyr-project.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Since then, early members and supporters of Zephyr include [[Intel]], [[NXP Semiconductors]], [[Synopsys]], [[Linaro]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Osborne |first=Charlie |date=2016-02-19 |url=httphttps://www.zdnet.com/article/the-linux-foundations-zephyr-project-building-an-operating-system-for-iot-devices/ |title=The Linux Foundation's Zephyr Project: A custom operating system for IoT devices |website=[[ZDNet]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=2017-01-12}}</ref> [[Texas Instruments]], DeviceTone, [[Nordic Semiconductor]], [[Oticon]], and [[Bose Corporation|Bose]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.zephyrproject.org/#project-members /|title=Zephyr Project Members|website=Zephyr Project}}</ref>

{{As of|20202025|0801}}, Zephyr had the largest number of contributors and commits compared to other RTOSes (including [[Mbed]], [[RT-Thread]], [[NuttX]], and [[RIOT (operating system)|RIOT]]).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://youtubegithub.com/watch?v=jR5E5Kz9Azephyrproject-krtos/zephyr |title=IntroductionZephyr to the ZephyrGitHub RTOSpage |publisherwebsite=Nordic Semiconductor[[GitHub]] |date=OctoberJanuary 630, 20202025}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|reason=Source is Nordic Semiconductor, who is a supporting member of Zephyr. i.e., a self-serving source|date=August 2021}}

==Features==

Zephyr intends to provide all components needed to develop resource-constrained and embedded or microcontroller-based applications. This includes, but is not limited to:<ref name="docs.zephyrproject.org"/>

* A small kernel

* A flexible configuration and build system for compile-time definition of required resources and modules

* A set of protocol stacks ([[IPv4]] and [[IPv6]], [[Constrained Application Protocol]] (CoAP), [[OMA LWM2M|LwM2M]], [[MQTT]], [[802.15.4]], [[Thread (network protocol)|Thread]], [[Bluetooth Low Energy]], [[CAN bus|CAN]])

* A virtual file system interface with several flash file systems for non-volatile storage (FATFS[[FatFs]], LittleFS, NVS)

* Management and device [[firmware update]] mechanisms

===Configuration and build system===

Zephyr uses [[Kconfig]] and [[devicetree]] as its configuration systems, inherited from the [[Linux kernel]], but implemented in the programming language [[Python (programming language)|Python]] programming language for portability to non-[[Unix]] operating systems.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/tree/master/scripts |title=scripts/ folder |website=[[GitHub]] |date=12 May 2020}}</ref> The RTOS build system is based on [[CMake]], which allows Zephyr applications to be built on [[Linux]], [[macOS]], and [[Microsoft Windows]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://docs.zephyrproject.org/latest/application/ |title=Application Development: Zephyr Project Documentation |website=Zephyr Project}}</ref>

===''West'' utility tool===

Zephyr has a general-purpose tool called ''West'' for managing repositories, downloading programs to hardware, etc.

===Kernel===

Early Zephyr kernels used a dual [[Microkernel|nanokernel plus microkernel]] design.<ref name="NanoMicrokernel">{{Cite web |last=Wasserman |first=Shawn |date=February 22, 2016 |url=https://mobile.engineering.com/amp/11530.html |title=How Linux’sLinux's IoT Zephyr Operating System Works |website=Engineering.com}}</ref><ref name="Monolithic1">{{Cite web |last=Helm |first=Maureen |date=December 15, 2016 |url=https://www.zephyrproject.org/announcing-zephyr-os-v1-6-0/ |title=Announcing Zephyr OS v1.6.0 |website=Zephyr Project}}</ref><ref name="Monolithic2">{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=William G. |date=July 6, 2017 |url=https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/embedded-revolution/article/21805266/zephyr-a-wearable-operating-system |title=Zephyr: A Wearable Operating System |website=[[Electronic Design (magazine)|Electronic Design]]}}</ref> In December 2016, with Zephyr 1.6, this changed to a [[monolithic kernel]].<ref name="Monolithic1"/><ref name="Monolithic2"/>

The kernel offers several features that distinguish it from other small OSes:<ref name="docs.zephyrproject.org"/>

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==References==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

*{{Official website|www.zephyrproject.org}}

*{{GitHub|zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr}}

{{Real-time operating systems}}

{{Linux Foundation}}

[[Category:ARM operating systems]]

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[[Category:Real-time operating systems]]

[[Category:Software using the Apache license]]

[[Category:IA-32 operating systems]]

[[Category:X86-64 operating systems]]

[[Category:MIPS operating systems]]