RTLinux real-time system

For real-time applications, the time factor is the main constraint to be respected. To meet this constraint, the real-time application must run on a dedicated operating system, often referred to as a real-time executive. This executive provides a set of specific services for executing and programming the real-time application.

There are many real-time executables on the market, and they fall into two main families: "in-house" executables specifically created for real-time, and executables derived from existing classic systems, notably Unix-type systems. Recently, the world of operating systems has witnessed the emergence of a new multi-user, multi-programmed system, the Linux system, whose two main features are high modularity and free access to source code. Very quickly, this system was adopted and adapted to the requirements of the world of real-time applications and even embedded systems. Here, we present in detail one of the most popular versions of real-time Linux, the RTLinux system.