Amazon FreeRTOS vs Linux: What are the differences?

Key Differences between Amazon FreeRTOS and Linux

1. Development Community: Amazon FreeRTOS has a smaller development community compared to Linux, which means there are fewer resources, forums, and discussions available for developers. Linux, on the other hand, has a large open-source community that actively contributes to its development, providing extensive support and resources.

2. Real-Time Capabilities: While both Amazon FreeRTOS and Linux support real-time applications, Amazon FreeRTOS is specifically designed for embedded systems and IoT devices with strict timing constraints. It provides deterministic and predictable execution times required for real-time applications, whereas Linux may not always guarantee real-time performance due to its non-deterministic nature.

3. Scalability and Footprint: Amazon FreeRTOS is optimized for microcontroller-based devices with limited processing power and memory, making it lightweight and scalable. It provides a minimal footprint and customizable kernel options to fit the constraints of resource-constrained devices. In contrast, Linux is a full-fledged operating system designed for a broad range of devices, including desktops, servers, and embedded systems, which may result in a larger footprint and higher resource requirements.

4. Security Model: Amazon FreeRTOS incorporates security features specific to IoT, such as secure over-the-air updates, encrypted communication, and device certificate management, to ensure the security of connected devices. While Linux also provides security mechanisms, it is more focused on general-purpose computing, lacking some of the specific security features tailored for IoT devices offered by Amazon FreeRTOS.

5. Development Environment: Developing applications for Amazon FreeRTOS requires familiarity with the FreeRTOS API and the AWS IoT ecosystem. It provides seamless integration with various AWS services like AWS IoT Core, AWS Greengrass, and AWS IoT Device Management. Conversely, Linux offers a more flexible development environment with a wide range of tools, libraries, and frameworks, making it easier to develop and deploy applications outside the IoT domain.

6. Licensing Model: Amazon FreeRTOS is based on the open-source FreeRTOS kernel, which is available under the MIT license. However, Amazon FreeRTOS extends the functionality with additional components, which are provided under the Amazon FreeRTOS license, and restricts the use of certain components with AWS services. Linux, on the other hand, is distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPL), allowing users the freedom to modify and distribute the source code according to the terms of the license.

In Summary, Amazon FreeRTOS is specifically tailored for resource-constrained IoT devices, providing real-time capabilities, a minimal footprint, and secure IoT-specific features, while Linux offers a broader range of devices and applications with a larger development community and flexible development environment.