RIOT

RIOT - The friendly OS for IoT

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Quick Overview

RIOT-OS/RIOT is an open-source, real-time multi-threading operating system designed for Internet of Things (IoT) devices. It supports a wide range of low-power microcontrollers and provides a consistent API across different hardware platforms. RIOT-OS aims to bridge the gap between operating systems for wireless sensor networks and traditional full-fledged operating systems.

Pros

Highly modular and customizable architecture
Extensive hardware support for various microcontrollers and IoT platforms
Energy-efficient design suitable for resource-constrained devices
Active community and regular updates

Cons

Steeper learning curve compared to simpler embedded frameworks
Limited documentation for some advanced features
May have higher memory footprint compared to bare-metal solutions for very simple applications

Code Examples

Creating a simple thread:

#include "thread.h"

static char stack[THREAD_STACKSIZE_DEFAULT];

void *thread_handler(void *arg)
{
    (void) arg;
    while (1) {
        printf("Hello from thread!\n");
        thread_sleep();
    }
    return NULL;
}

int main(void)
{
    thread_create(stack, sizeof(stack), THREAD_PRIORITY_MAIN - 1,
                  THREAD_CREATE_STACKTEST, thread_handler, NULL, "example_thread");
    return 0;
}

Using the RIOT shell:

#include "shell.h"

static int cmd_hello(int argc, char **argv)
{
    (void)argc;
    (void)argv;
    printf("Hello World!\n");
    return 0;
}

static const shell_command_t shell_commands[] = {
    { "hello", "prints 'Hello World'", cmd_hello },
    { NULL, NULL, NULL }
};

int main(void)
{
    char line_buf[SHELL_DEFAULT_BUFSIZE];
    shell_run(shell_commands, line_buf, SHELL_DEFAULT_BUFSIZE);

    return 0;
}

Using the RIOT networking stack:

#include "net/gnrc.h"
#include "net/gnrc/ipv6.h"
#include "net/gnrc/udp.h"

#define SERVER_PORT 8888

static void start_server(void)
{
    gnrc_netreg_entry_t server = GNRC_NETREG_ENTRY_INIT_PID(SERVER_PORT,
                                                            gnrc_getpid());
    gnrc_netreg_register(GNRC_NETTYPE_UDP, &server);

    while (1) {
        msg_t msg;
        msg_receive(&msg);
        // Handle incoming messages
    }
}

int main(void)
{
    gnrc_netif_init_all();
    start_server();
    return 0;
}

Getting Started

Clone the RIOT repository:

git clone https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT.git

Set up the toolchain for your target board (e.g., arm-none-eabi-gcc for ARM-based boards).

Build and flash a simple example:

cd RIOT/examples/hello-world
BOARD=<your-board> make all flash

Connect to the board's serial output to see the "Hello World!" message.

For more detailed instructions, refer to the official RIOT documentation.

Competitor Comparisons

zephyr

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Primary Git Repository for the Zephyr Project. Zephyr is a new generation, scalable, optimized, secure RTOS for multiple hardware architectures.

Pros of Zephyr

Broader hardware support and more extensive device drivers
Stronger focus on security features and certifications
More comprehensive documentation and user guides

Cons of Zephyr

Steeper learning curve due to its complexity
Larger memory footprint, which may be an issue for resource-constrained devices

Code Comparison

RIOT example (simple thread creation):

#include "thread.h"

void *thread_handler(void *arg)
{
    // Thread logic here
    return NULL;
}

int main(void)
{
    thread_create(stack, sizeof(stack), THREAD_PRIORITY_MAIN - 1, 0, thread_handler, NULL, "example_thread");
    return 0;
}

Zephyr example (simple thread creation):

#include <zephyr.h>

void thread_entry(void *p1, void *p2, void *p3)
{
    // Thread logic here
}

K_THREAD_DEFINE(my_thread, STACK_SIZE, thread_entry, NULL, NULL, NULL, PRIORITY, 0, 0);

Both RIOT and Zephyr are popular open-source operating systems for IoT and embedded devices. While RIOT focuses on simplicity and a smaller footprint, Zephyr offers more features and broader hardware support. The code examples demonstrate the different approaches to thread creation in each system, with RIOT using a more traditional C-style function call and Zephyr utilizing a macro-based definition.

contiki-ng

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Contiki-NG: The OS for Next Generation IoT Devices

Pros of Contiki-NG

Lighter memory footprint, suitable for more constrained devices
Strong focus on IPv6 and 6LoWPAN networking protocols
Well-established in academic research and IoT projects

Cons of Contiki-NG

Smaller developer community compared to RIOT
Less extensive hardware support
More limited POSIX compliance

Code Comparison

RIOT example (main.c):

#include <stdio.h>

int main(void)
{
    puts("Hello World from RIOT!");
    return 0;
}

Contiki-NG example (hello-world.c):

#include "contiki.h"
#include <stdio.h>

PROCESS(hello_world_process, "Hello world process");
AUTOSTART_PROCESSES(&hello_world_process);

PROCESS_THREAD(hello_world_process, ev, data)
{
  PROCESS_BEGIN();
  printf("Hello, world\n");
  PROCESS_END();
}

The code examples highlight the different programming models: RIOT uses a traditional C main() function, while Contiki-NG employs a process-based approach with its own macros and structures. This reflects the distinct design philosophies of the two operating systems, with RIOT aiming for a more familiar programming experience and Contiki-NG focusing on its event-driven, protothreaded architecture.

FreeRTOS

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'Classic' FreeRTOS distribution. Started as Git clone of FreeRTOS SourceForge SVN repo. Submodules the kernel.

Pros of FreeRTOS

Widely adopted and supported in the embedded industry
Extensive documentation and learning resources available
Smaller memory footprint, suitable for resource-constrained devices

Cons of FreeRTOS

Limited networking capabilities compared to RIOT
Less extensive hardware abstraction layer
Fewer built-in features for IoT applications

Code Comparison

RIOT example (network initialization):

#include "net/gnrc.h"

int main(void) {
    gnrc_netif_t *netif = gnrc_netif_iter(NULL);
    gnrc_netif_init(netif);
    // ...
}

FreeRTOS example (task creation):

#include "FreeRTOS.h"
#include "task.h"

void vTaskFunction(void *pvParameters) {
    for (;;) {
        // Task code here
    }
}

int main(void) {
    xTaskCreate(vTaskFunction, "ExampleTask", configMINIMAL_STACK_SIZE, NULL, tskIDLE_PRIORITY, NULL);
    vTaskStartScheduler();
    // ...
}

Both RIOT and FreeRTOS are popular real-time operating systems for embedded devices. RIOT focuses more on IoT applications with extensive networking support, while FreeRTOS is known for its simplicity and wide industry adoption. RIOT provides a more comprehensive set of features out-of-the-box, whereas FreeRTOS offers a leaner core that can be extended with additional libraries as needed.

mbed-os

4,667

Arm Mbed OS is a platform operating system designed for the internet of things

Pros of mbed-os

More extensive hardware support, especially for ARM-based microcontrollers
Comprehensive documentation and tutorials for beginners
Strong industry backing and commercial support from ARM

Cons of mbed-os

Larger memory footprint compared to RIOT
Less flexible for non-ARM architectures
Steeper learning curve for advanced users

Code Comparison

mbed-os example:

#include "mbed.h"

DigitalOut led(LED1);

int main() {
    while (1) {
        led = !led;
        ThisThread::sleep_for(500ms);
    }
}

RIOT example:

#include "periph/gpio.h"
#include "xtimer.h"

int main(void) {
    gpio_t led = GPIO_PIN(0, 0);
    gpio_init(led, GPIO_OUT);
    while (1) {
        gpio_toggle(led);
        xtimer_sleep(1);
    }
}

Both examples demonstrate LED blinking, but RIOT uses a more low-level approach with direct GPIO manipulation, while mbed-os provides a higher-level abstraction with the DigitalOut class.

tock

5,341

A secure embedded operating system for microcontrollers

Pros of Tock

Written in Rust, providing memory safety and concurrency guarantees
Designed for security-critical applications with hardware isolation
Supports dynamic loading of user-space applications

Cons of Tock

Smaller community and ecosystem compared to RIOT
Limited hardware support due to its focus on specific architectures
Steeper learning curve for developers unfamiliar with Rust

Code Comparison

Tock (Rust):

pub struct Timer<'a> {
    timer: &'a dyn TimerDriver,
    alarm: &'a dyn AlarmDriver,
}

RIOT (C):

typedef struct {
    uint32_t target;
    uint32_t long_target;
    int16_t pid;
} timer_t;

Both RIOT and Tock are open-source operating systems for IoT and embedded devices. RIOT is written in C and focuses on a wide range of hardware platforms, while Tock is written in Rust and emphasizes security and hardware isolation. RIOT has a larger community and more extensive hardware support, making it suitable for a broader range of applications. Tock, on the other hand, offers stronger memory safety guarantees and is well-suited for security-critical projects. The choice between the two depends on the specific requirements of the project, the target hardware, and the development team's expertise.

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README

The friendly Operating System for IoT!

RIOT is an open-source microcontroller operating system, designed to match the requirements of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and other embedded devices. It supports a range of devices that are typically found in the Internet of Things (IoT): 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit microcontrollers.

RIOT is based on the following design principles: energy-efficiency, real-time capabilities, small memory footprint, modularity, and uniform API access, independent of the underlying hardware (this API offers partial POSIX compliance).

RIOT is developed by an international open source community which is independent of specific vendors (e.g. similarly to the Linux community). RIOT is licensed with LGPLv2.1, a copyleft license which fosters indirect business models around the free open-source software platform provided by RIOT, e.g. it is possible to link closed-source code with the LGPL code.

Features

RIOT provides features including, but not limited to:

a preemptive, tickless scheduler with priorities
flexible memory management
high resolution, long-term timers
MTD abstraction layer
File System integration
support 200+ boards based on AVR, MSP430, ESP8266, ESP32, RISC-V, ARM7 and ARM Cortex-M
the native port allows to run RIOT as-is on Linux and BSD. Multiple instances of RIOT running on a single machine can also be interconnected via a simple virtual Ethernet bridge or via a simulated IEEE 802.15.4 network (ZEP)
IPv6
6LoWPAN (RFC4944, RFC6282, and RFC6775)
UDP
RPL (storing mode, P2P mode)
CoAP
OTA updates via SUIT
MQTT
USB (device mode)
Display / Touchscreen support
CCN-Lite
LoRaWAN
UWB
Bluetooth (BLE) via NimBLE

Getting RIOT

The most convenient way to get RIOT is to clone it via Git

$ git clone https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT

this will ensure that you get all the newest features and bug fixes with the caveat of an ever changing work environment.

If you prefer things more stable, you can download the source code of one of our quarter annual releases via Github as ZIP file or tarball. You can also checkout a release in a cloned Git repository using

$ git pull --tags
$ git checkout <YYYY.MM>

For more details on our release cycle, check our documentation.

Getting Started

You want to start the RIOT? Just follow our quickstart guide or try this tutorial. For specific toolchain installation, follow instructions in the getting started page.
The RIOT API itself can be built from the code using doxygen. The latest version of the documentation is uploaded daily to doc.riot-os.org.

Using Windows? Use this guide to setup the development environment.

Forum

Do you have a question, want to discuss a new feature, or just want to present your latest project using RIOT? Come over to our forum and post to your hearts content.

Contribute

To contribute something to RIOT, please refer to our contributing document.

Mailing Lists

RIOT commits: commits@riot-os.org
Github notifications: notifications@riot-os.org

License

Most of the code developed by the RIOT community is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) version 2.1 as published by the Free Software Foundation.
Some external sources, especially files developed by SICS are published under a separate license.

All code files contain licensing information.

For more information, see the RIOT website:

https://www.riot-os.org

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