https://github.com/antoniogiacomelli/rk0

RK0 | The Real-Time Kernel '0'
https://github.com/antoniogiacomelli/rk0

arm armv6m armv7m assembly c embedded operating-system real-time rtos thumb2

Last synced: 8 months ago
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RK0 | The Real-Time Kernel '0'

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/antoniogiacomelli/rk0
• Owner: antoniogiacomelli
• License: apache-2.0
• Created: 2025-03-25T02:25:54.000Z (about 1 year ago)
• Default Branch: main
• Last Pushed: 2025-10-04T02:16:15.000Z (8 months ago)
• Last Synced: 2025-10-04T04:17:48.541Z (8 months ago)
• Topics: arm, armv6m, armv7m, assembly, c, embedded, operating-system, real-time, rtos, thumb2
• Language: C
• Homepage: https://antoniogiacomelli.github.io/RK0/
• Size: 10.6 MB
• Stars: 9
• Watchers: 2
• Forks: 1
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md
  • License: LICENSE

Awesome Lists containing this project

README

          
RK0 - The Real-Time Kernel '0' 



---

## Know it

**RK*0*** is a lean, feature-rich, highly deterministic Real-Time Kernel for deeply embedded solutions.

> - See the [**RK*0* Docbook**](https://antoniogiacomelli.github.io/RK0/) for a thorough design description and usage examples.

> - Check the [**RK*0* Blog**](https://kernel0.org/blog) for some quick reads.

 _Supported Architectures_: **ARMv6M (Cortex-M0/0+) and ARMv7M (Cortex-M3/4/7)**.

---

## RK0 Main Features (0.8.0-dev)

- **O(1) Scheduler: priority preemptive (RMS)**

- **Synch Pack:**

  - _Semaphores_ (Counting/Binary)

  - _Mutexes_ with _fully transitive Priority Inheritance_ for nested locks

  - _Condition Variables_

  - _Direct Task Notifications_ 

- **Priority-aware message-passing**

   - _Message Queues (Mailboxes)_ for general asynchronous message-passing

   - _Ports_ for client-server synchronous RPC, message-driven priority inheritance

     

- **Most-Recent Message Protocol**

  

  - Asynchronous, Lock-Free, purpose-built for Real-time Control Loops

    

- **High-Precision Timers:**

  

   - Minimal Tick Handling overhead for Bounded Waiting, Periodic Sleeps and Application Timers.

- **Memory Partition**:

   - Well-proven, deterministic memory allocator suitable for real-time systems.

     

- **Suits both procedural/shared-memory and message-passing paradigms**

- **Highly Modular with clean and consistent API**.

  

- _(And that wicked cool mascot)_ 

---

## Use it

> - [**Emulated hardware**](https://github.com/antoniogiacomelli/RK0/wiki/RK0-%E2%80%90-Running-on-QEMU): the provided Makefile in this branch targets QEMU

> - [**Nucleo boards**](https://github.com/antoniogiacomelli/RK0/wiki/RK0-V0.6.4-on-NUCLEO%E2%80%90F103RB)

---

## System Architecture

If no more details are to be provided, the kernel has a top and a bottom layer. On the top, the Executive manages the resources needed by the application. On the bottom, the Low-level Scheduler works as a software extension of the CPU. Together, they implement the Task abstraction — the Concurrency Unit that enables a multitasking environment.

In systems design jargon, the Executive enforces policy (what should happen). The Low-level Scheduler provides the mechanism (how it gets done). The services are the primitives that transform policy decisions into concrete actions executed by the Scheduler.



---

## Code Quality 

RK0 source code compiles cleanly with the following GCC flags:

`-Wall -Wextra -Wsign-compare -Wsign-conversion -pedantic`

Static Analysis (Cppcheck)  is clean with no warnings, errors, or style issues.

---

### Dependencies

* ARM-GCC, CMSIS-GCC

  

---

Copyright (C) 2025 Antonio Giacomelli | All Rights Reserved | www.kernel0.org | [📫](mailto:dev@kernel0.org)