FreeRTOS Real Time Kernel (RTOS) / News: Recent posts

Since FreeRTOS v10.3.1, we officially switched from our long serving SourceForge SVN repository, to Git repositories. To view all of our download options and more, visit our downloads page. You can read more about this change, our LTS development, the launch of the FreeRTOS Community Forums, our IoT reference integrations and other details on our blog.

Backward Compatibility

FreeRTOS V9.x.x is a drop-in compatible replacement for FreeRTOS V8.x.x that contains new features, enhancements, and new ports.

Completely Statically Allocated Systems

Two new configuration constants that allow FreeRTOS to optionally be used without the necessity for any dynamic memory allocation have been introduced. See the description of the configSUPPORT_STATIC_ALLOCATION and configSUPPORT_DYNAMIC_ALLOCATION constants for more information - noting in particular the two callback functions that need to be provided by the application writer when configSUPPORT_STATIC_ALLOCATION is set to 1.

The Win32 demo located in the /FreeRTOS/demo/WIN32-MSVC-Static-Allocation-Only directory is provided as a reference of how to create a project that does not include a FreeRTOS heap at all, and therefore guarantee no dynamic memory allocation is being performed. Read more . . .

FreeRTOS is under constant development, and its roadmap is driven by you - our users and partners. See http://www.freertos.org/FreeRTOS-V9.html for information on the latest FreeRTOS release candidate. You will be pleased to know FreeRTOS V9.x is backward compatible with FreeRTOS V8.x.

In our continuing commitment to the global community of FreeRTOS users, and in the interest of continuous, consistent improvement of the FreeRTOS code, we are pleased to announce a new version of FreeRTOS! FreeRTOS version 8.1.2 is now available for immediate free download.

In the interest of FreeRTOS users, V8.1.x maintains backward compatibility with V8.0.x versions, while including the following improvements and new features: ... read more

V7.5.0 is a major upgrade that include multiple scheduling and efficiency improvements, and some new API functions.

Headline changes:

+ Multiple scheduling and efficiency improvements.
+ Core kernel files now pass PC-Lint V8 static checking without
outputting any warnings (information on the test conditions
will follow).

New API functions:

+ uxTaskGetSystemState() http://www.freertos.org/uxTaskGetSystemState.html
+ xQueueOverwrite() http://www.freertos.org/xQueueOverwrite.html
+ xQueueOverwriteFromISR()
+ xQueuePeekFromISR()... read more

I am pleased to announce the release of FreeRTOS V7.3.0 – the major innovation in which is a new ‘tick-less’ idle mode to provide direct support for low power applications. See http://www.freertos.org/low-power-tickless-rtos.html for more information.

Other highlights include microcontroller specific optimisations in selected ports, and the inclusion of official support for Texas Instruments RM4x and TMS570 Cortex-R4 based safety microcontrollers.... read more

I am pleased to announce that FreeRTOS V7.1.1 was released last week. This is
the first release since Christmas and contains updated (although backward
compatible) core kernel files, as well as incorporating all the new ports and
demos that have been made available as separate downloads since FreeRTOS V7.1.0.
Full change information is, as always, provided at
http://www.FreeRTOS.org/History.txt.... read more

Documentation and download available at http://www.FreeRTOS.org

Changes between V7.0.1 and V7.0.2 released September 20 2011

New ports:

+ The official FreeRTOS Renesas RX200 port and demo application have been
incorporated into the main FreeRTOS zip file download.
+ The official FreeRTOS Renesas RL78 port and demo application have been
incorporated into the main FreeRTOS zip file download.
+ The official FreeRTOS Freescale Kinetis K60 tower demo application has
been incorporated into the main FreeRTOS zip file download. This includes
an embedded web server example.
+ A new Microblaze V8 port layer has been created to replace the older, now
deprecated, port layer. The V8 port supports V8.x of the Microblaze IP,
including exceptions, caches, and the floating point unit. A new
Microblaze demo has also been added to demonstrate the new Microblaze V8
port layer. The demo application was created using V13.1 of the Xilinx
EDK, and includes a basic embedded web server that uses lwIP V1.4.0.
+ The official FreeRTOS Fujitsu FM3 MB9A310 demo application has been
incorporated into the main FreeRTOS zip file download. Projects are
provided for both the IAR and Keil toolchains.... read more

FreeRTOS is a small footprint, portable, preemptive, open source, real time kernel that has been designed specifically for use on microcontrollers. With more than 77,500 downloads during 2009 - FreeRTOS has become one of the most popular real time kernels available.

FreeRTOS V6.1.0 is now available. This includes some enhancements and a brand new port to the Renesas RX62N. Three RX62N compilers and two RX62N development boards are supported, making six demo projects in total. See http://www.freertos.org/a00090.html#RENESAS to access the port documentation pages, and http://www.FreeRTOS.org/History.txt for a full list of updates included in the V6.1.0 release.

Here is a list of changes since the last news post:

Changes between V5.3.0 and V5.3.1 released June 21st 2009

+ Added ColdFire V1 MCF51CN128 port and WEB server demo.
+ Added STM32 Connectivity Line STM32107 Cortex M3 WEB server demo.
+ Changed the Cortex M3 port.c asm statements to __asm so it can be
compiled using Rowley CrossWorks V2 in its default configuration.
+ Updated the Posix/Linux simulator contributed port.... read more

Here is a list of changes since the last news post:

Changes between V5.3.0 and V5.3.1 released June 21st 2009

+ Added ColdFire V1 MCF51CN128 port and WEB server demo.
+ Added STM32 Connectivity Line STM32107 Cortex M3 WEB server demo.
+ Changed the Cortex M3 port.c asm statements to __asm so it can be
compiled using Rowley CrossWorks V2 in its default configuration.
+ Updated the Posix/Linux simulator contributed port.... read more

FreeRTOS is the popular real time kernel designed specifically for microcontrollers. With more than 19 architectures supported it is a true cross platform solution.

Version 5.2.0 includes a faster queue and semaphore implementation. The good news is these changes are completely backward compatible making V5.2.0 a simple drop in replacement for existing V5.x.x users.

Mini RTOS kernel for small embedded systems. Preconfigured demo programs are included for lots of microcontroller architectures - ARM7, ARM CORTEX M3, PIC32, PPC405, 8051, AVR (MegaAVR), x86, PIC18, PIC24, dsPIC, HCS12, H8S, RDC, ColdFire, Fujitsu, etc.

Changes between V5.1.1 and V5.1.2 released Feburary 9th 2009

+ Added NEC V850ES port and demo.
+ Added NEC 78K0R port and demo.
+ Added MCF52259 port and demo.
+ Added the AT91SAM9XE port and demo.
+ Updated the MCF52233 FEC driver to work around a silicon bug that
prevents the part auto negotiating some network parameters.
+ Minor modifications to the MCF52233 makefile to permit it to be used
on Linux hosts.
+ Updated the STM32 primer files to allow them to be built with the latest
version of the RIDE tools.
+ Updated the threads.js Java script used for kernel aware debugging in
the Rowley CrossWorks IDE.... read more

Changes relating to the Cortex M3:

+ Added configMAX_SYSCALL_INTERRUPT_PRIORITY usage to all the Cortex M3
ports and demos. See the port documentation pages on the FreeRTOS.org
WEB site for full usage information.
+ Improved efficiency of Cortex M3 port even further.
+ Ensure the Cortex M3 port works no matter where the vector table is
located.
+ Added the IntQTimer demo/test tasks to a demo project for each CM3 port
(Keil, GCC and IAR) to test the new configMAX_SYSCALL_INTERRUPT_PRIORITY
functionality.
+ Added the mainINCLUDE_WEB_SERVER definition to the LM3SXXXX IAR and Keil
projects to allow the WEB server to be conditionally excluded from the
build and therefore allow use of the KickStart (code size limited)
compiler version.... read more

*** VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON UPGRADING TO FREERTOS.ORG V5.0.0 ***

The parameters to the functions xQueueSendFromISR(), xQueueSendToFrontFromISR(),
xQueueSendToBackFromISR() and xSemaphoreGiveFromISR() have changed. You must
update all calls to these functions to use the new calling convention! Your
compiler might not issue any type mismatch warnings!

See http://www.FreeRTOS.org/upgrading.html for full information.... read more

V4.7.2 is now available for download. This adds two new Fujitsu ports! The first is for the 16bit MB96340 series, the second for the 32bit MB91460 series. Both use the Softune compiler.

Enjoy!

Since the last news post:

+ New PIC32 port!
+ SAM7X Eclipse demo
+ STM32 Primer demo
+ New counting semaphore macros and demo
+ New 'alternative' API with demo.

Have fun!

V4.5.0 has now been released. This includes some nice new features, updated demos, and better Eclipse support. See http://www.freertos.org/History.txt for full information.

A demo for the ST STM32 Cortex-M3 microcontroller has been added.

Includes updates to Cortex-M3, PIC24 and dsPIC ports, plus new demos.

See http://www.FreeRTOS.org/History.txt for full information.

V4.2.1 is now available for download. AVR32 UC3A support is included in the download. An LPC2368 is currently available as a separate download.

V4.2.0 includes modifications that result from the detailed SafeRTOS testing - thanks guys.

Also support for the LM3S811 is extended with IAR and GCC demos added.

This includes some changes to the xQueueSend() and xQueueReceive() functions to make their behaviour more intuitive.

FreeRTOS.org V4.0.4 is now available for download. This includes a uIP v1.0 demo for the STR912 ARM9 processor.

This contains an IAR port for the Cortex-M3, plus a few minor mods.