# Tock

> embedded operating system

**Wikidata**: [Q60989971](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60989971)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tock_(operating_system))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/tock

## Summary
Tock is an embedded operating system designed for use on microcontroller-based hardware platforms. It is capable of running on multiple architectures, including ARM Cortex-M and RISC-V. The project is open-source, dual-licensed under the Apache Software License 2.0 and the MIT License, with its source code publicly available on GitHub.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Tock is an embedded operating system.
- **License:** The software is dual-licensed under the Apache Software License 2.0 and the MIT License.
- **Supported Platforms:** It supports the ARM Cortex-M and RISC-V hardware architectures.
- **Developer:** Key developers include Amit Levy and entity Q132896724.
- **Source Repository:** The code is hosted at `https://github.com/tock/tock`.
- **Official Website:** `https://www.tockos.org` (English).
- **Programming Language:** The codebase is written in programming language Q575650.
- **Version History:** Major releases range from version 1.0 (released February 13, 2018) to version 2.1.1 (released January 6, 2023).
- **Copyright Status:** The software is copyrighted.

## FAQs
### Q: What type of hardware does Tock support?
A: Tock is designed to run on embedded hardware, specifically supporting platforms based on the ARM Cortex-M and RISC-V architectures.

### Q: What are the licensing terms for using Tock?
A: Tock is released under a dual-license model, allowing users to utilize it under either the Apache Software License 2.0 or the MIT License.

### Q: Where can the source code for Tock be found?
A: The official source code repository is hosted on GitHub at `https://github.com/tock/tock`.

### Q: When was the first major release of Tock available?
A: Version 1.0 of Tock was released on February 13, 2018.

## Why It Matters
Tock addresses the specific needs of the embedded systems community by providing a modern operating system for microcontrollers. Its significance lies in its architectural flexibility and open-source accessibility. By supporting both the widely-used ARM Cortex-M and the emerging RISC-V architectures, Tock provides developers with a versatile platform that is not tied to a single proprietary hardware ecosystem. This cross-platform capability is increasingly important as the hardware landscape for embedded devices and IoT (Internet of Things) diversifies.

The project's commitment to an open development model is evidenced by its dual-licensing under the permissive Apache 2.0 and MIT licenses. This encourages broad adoption and contribution from both academic researchers and commercial entities, as evidenced by its active release schedule from 2018 through 2023. Furthermore, the availability of a dedicated website and a transparent GitHub repository fosters a collaborative environment for continuous improvement. By providing a structured, maintained kernel for low-power devices, Tock plays a critical role in enabling more complex and reliable software applications on resource-constrained hardware.

## Notable For
- **Cross-Architecture Support:** Distinguished by its ability to run on both ARM Cortex-M and RISC-V architectures.
- **Dual-Licensing Model:** Notable for offering developers a choice between the Apache Software License 2.0 and the MIT License.
- **Active Development Cycle:** Maintained a consistent release schedule with multiple major versions (1.x and 2.x) released between 2018 and 2023.
- **Open Source Transparency:** Operates with a fully public source code repository and official organizational governance.

## Body

### Development and Release History
Tock has maintained an active development lifecycle with regular version updates tracked in its GitHub repository. The project's first recorded major release in the provided data is version 1.0, which was published on February 13, 2018.

Following the initial release, the development team issued several iterative updates:
- **Version 1.1:** Released April 25, 2018.
- **Version 1.3:** Released November 30, 2018.
- **Version 1.4:** Released October 8, 2019.
- **Version 1.4.1:** Released November 1, 2019.
- **Version 1.5:** Released April 30, 2020.
- **Version 1.6:** Released October 23, 2020.

The project marked a significant milestone with the release of version **2.0** on August 27, 2021. Subsequent updates to the 2.x branch included version 2.1 (September 7, 2022) and version 2.1.1 (January 6, 2023).

### Technical Specifications
Tock is classified as an **embedded operating system**. It is designed to operate on low-power microcontrollers and is implemented in the programming language identified as **Q575650**.

The operating system is hardware-agnostic regarding two major architectures:
- **ARM Cortex-M:** A standard architecture for embedded systems.
- **RISC-V:** An open standard architecture for computer processors.

### Project Governance and Attribution
The project is copyrighted and managed by a set of developers, including **Amit Levy** and the entity identified as **Q132896724**. The project is publicly accessible and promoted via its official website, `tockos.org`, and has a presence on Wikipedia in both English and Chinese. The Google Knowledge Graph ID for the entity is `/g/11gmzlg66c`.

## References

1. [Source](https://github.com/tock/tock/blob/master/COPYRIGHT)
2. [Source](https://github.com/tock/tock)
3. [Release 1.0. 2018](https://github.com/tock/tock/releases/tag/release-1.0-2018-02)
4. [Release 1.1. 2018](https://github.com/tock/tock/releases/tag/release-1.1-2018-04)
5. [Release 1.3. 2018](https://github.com/tock/tock/releases/tag/release-1.3)
6. [Release 1.4. 2019](https://github.com/tock/tock/releases/tag/release-1.4)
7. [Release 1.4.1. 2019](https://github.com/tock/tock/releases/tag/release-1.4.1)
8. [Release 1.5. 2020](https://github.com/tock/tock/releases/tag/release-1.5)
9. [Release 1.6. 2020](https://github.com/tock/tock/releases/tag/release-1.6)
10. [Release 2.0. 2021](https://github.com/tock/tock/releases/tag/release-2.0)
11. [Release 2.1. 2022](https://github.com/tock/tock/releases/tag/release-2.1)
12. [Release 2.1.1. 2023](https://github.com/tock/tock/releases/tag/release-2.1.1)
13. [Release 2.2. 2025](https://github.com/tock/tock/releases/tag/release-2.2)