TekOS

TekOS is an open-source operating system designed for secure, real-time embedded and edge computing devices. It targets small-footprint devices such as sensors, routers, drones, and industrial controllers, while offering scalable support for higher-end edge servers. TekOS emphasizes modularity, determinism, and isolation through a microkernel architecture, with most system services running in user space and support for sandboxed drivers and lightweight containers. The kernel provides low-latency inter-process communication, explicit capability-based security, and a configurable real-time scheduler.

The project originated as a collaboration between TekTech Labs and the TekOS Foundation, with public releases beginning in the mid-2010s. Development proceeds through an open-source process with community contributions and governance by a maintainers' council. TekOS includes a POSIX-compatible userland, a lightweight package manager, and an optional virtualization layer for mixed-critical workloads. It supports multiple architectures, including ARM, x86-64, and RISC-V, and offers a cross-compilation toolchain for embedded targets. A device-driver framework provides hardware abstraction and supports hot-swapping and secure boot.

Common use cases include robotics control, industrial automation, smart home hubs, and autonomous devices. The project emphasizes security and privacy, offering verified boot, secure updates, and integration with Trusted Execution Environments where available.

As of the latest releases, TekOS aims to balance safety and performance with a growing ecosystem of middleware and development tools, while remaining accessible to researchers and hobbyists. The license is permissive to encourage community participation and broad adoption.