FreeRTOS replacing ThreadX as the main kernel - May 2025 STM32 Summit

[NRedd.2]

Hi,

On the keynote speech, I saw that FreeRTOS will be the main kernel.

• Does that mean that ThreadX will not be offered as an alternative?
• What is the reason for this change?
• What about NetXDuo as a middleware?

I am quite happy with how ThreadX and its components worked with each other. Over the years, I have developed several products with NetXDuo, USBX middlewares with ThreadX as an operating system. Not sure why ST is stepping back to FreeRTOS. Curious to know.

Best regards,

Navin

[Andrew Neil]

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@NRedd.2 wrote:

On the keynote speech,

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So from the May 2025 STM32 Summit ?

It's an hour-long video - please give a link to where this is actually said.

[Andrew Neil]

Ah - this has just appeared: New strategic directions for STM32Cube by @Maxime_MARCHETTO:

Transition to FreeRTOS and enhanced middleware offerings

We are moving back to FreeRTOS™ as the main kernel, integrating it with USBX, FileX, and LWIP. This strategic shift will help us build a consistent middleware offering, set to be introduced before the end of this year. Notably, USBX and FileX will be available in both bare metal and RTOS-agnostic versions, providing greater flexibility and adaptability for your projects.

In parallel, we continue our investment in supporting leading open-source frameworks.

@mbarg.1   @jos_ 

[NRedd.2]

@Andrew Neil 

It is around -10 minute mark of the video.

[LCE]

> We are moving back to FreeRTOS™ as the main kernel, integrating it with USBX, FileX, and LWIP.

:D :D :D

This is really funny after ThreadX / Azure - but good for me concerning LWIP support, I don't care about OS.

[Andrew Neil]

So here: https://youtu.be/ezHZGMuEA1k?t=2946

[urbito]

Which other drivers/apps are present in ThreadX and can be good to be ported to FreeRTOS? Any idea?

[Pavel A.]

Hmmm. Will see. FreeRTOS is attractive because of simplicity and it has CMSIS OS wrapper. But the complicated drivers for ETH, USB and so on won't fix themselves. For ETH, the FreeRTOS+ TCP is worth to consider.

On the top end of the RTOS range are posix-style Zephyr and Nuttx, and then the MPUs. ThreadX can fall between the chairs (like many other Microsoft's orphans).

[Ozone]

I have a hunch that certain political and economical circumstances might have influenced this decision as well.
Be that as it may - I am confronted with FreeRTOS-based applications in my dayjob, so this is surely an advantage for me.

[Andrew Neil]

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@Pavel A. wrote:

For ETH, the FreeRTOS+ TCP is worth to consider.

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and yet ST are promoting LwIP as their IP stack