Linux for IoT: The Best Choice When It Comes to OS?

Today we have disappointing results for our management on the planet. The resources of clean air, carbohydrates, minerals, forests, fresh water, fertile lands, etc. are practically exhausted. In addition, global warming, food shortages, urban overcrowding, and overloaded infrastructure are added to the list. All of this is the result of bad decisions that humanity has made throughout its history. Thus, it exhausted the limit of its errors.

Indeed, at present, society is unable to make informed decisions, since the modern process of their adoption is characterized by the fact that it is worth taking into account significant volumes of information (data), as well as a large number of subjects and objects related to the decision-making process. In most cases, it is necessary to solve problems in a real-time or limited-time mode.

The way out is seen in the application of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. They provide real-time decision-making based on the use of mathematical algorithms such as artificial intelligence algorithms, collection, and processing of a huge amount of data, identification of all objects involved in the processes, etc. High-quality companies like Jatapp with IoT software development services are becoming more in demand every day. They allow putting into practice various ideas of IoT.

Read below in more detail about the features of the development of the Internet of Things at the current stage and find out why the Linux operating system is considered the best for IoT devices.

What Is the Internet of Things and What Are Its Features?

The Internet of Things is a set of physical devices, vehicles, and other technical objects equipped with electronics, software, sensors, drives, and network connectivity that allow these objects to independently collect and exchange data. At the same time, each such object is uniquely identified through a built-in computer system and is able to interact with other objects within the framework of the existing infrastructure of the worldwide Internet. According to experts, by 2025 the Internet of Things will consist of about 50 billion devices.

‘Communication’ of things is carried out through cloud information technologies using a special MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) data exchange protocol. It is the standard for IoT because of its lightweight service information, publish/subscribe model, and bidirectional capability.

Since 2017, the concept of the “Internet of Things” has spread not only to cyber-physical systems for private use but also to industrial facilities. Thus, the development of distributed network infrastructure in the Industrial Control System has led to the emergence of the Industrial Internet of Things. This significantly improves the possibilities of saving time and production costs for industrial enterprises due to the communication of all their processes at the level of performers.

Such technological processes include, among other things, experimental tests and the operation of internal combustion engines. There is no doubt that the introduction of full or partial automation into the life cycle of these products will significantly increase their technical level, quality and speed of production, and comfort of operation.

Linux and IoT: Why Is It a Great Combination?

The IoT creators claim that all developments are used for the benefit of people. Linux as an open operating system is an excellent platform for turning this promise into a viable reality. Today, there are Linux operating systems focused on supporting and developing the Internet of Things. But before reviewing them, it is important to consider the 3 main keys of the Internet of Things:

1. IoT requires cheap, energy-saving, and powerful enough processors that can be mass-produced in factories. The real breakthrough was the invention of RFID, an equally important step is the adoption of the IPv6 standard, which can provide a sufficient number of IP addresses;
2. Sensors are devices that allow the processor to know the environment. These include GPS location, altitude, temperature, lighting, barometric pressure, etc.;
3. Low power connection. The connection can be via Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or 4G. But the goal is to consume little energy and reach more common places. Therefore, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, and new technologies such as 6LoWPAN, Z-Wave, and ZigBee are also relevant.

Software for IoT: Popular Linux Operating Systems for IoT Devices

The specialists involved in the provision of IoT application development services indicate that there are several popular Linux operating systems for IoT devices. These are Ubuntu Core, Yocto, Buildroot, Zephyr, TizenRT, etc. Read more about each below.

Ubuntu Core

Ubuntu Core is one of the most popular embedded Linux distro. It is based on Debian and is an IoT-optimized version of Ubuntu. It can be customized to include only those packages and binaries needed to power specific IoT devices. This distro has gained worldwide fame due to its friendly interface, support for a large number of software packages, and a huge community that is actively involved in the development of the project.

Yocto 

Yocto project is not an embedded Linux distro. This is an open-source collaboration project that can help you create your own custom distro. Yocto has flexible tools and a wide space for embedded IoT application developers.

Buildroot

Buildroot is another useful tool to simplify and automate the process of creating an embedded Linux distro using cross-compilation. Buildroot is easy to learn and use. The only major downside is that its minimalist approach makes customization difficult.

Zephyr

Zephyr is a relatively new real-time operating system with a focus on embedded and IoT devices. It was developed in 2015 but is widely used by the specialists of the IoT software development company today. It is designed to work on devices with limited resources of various architectures. Key features:

• Single address space;
• Great building possibilities;
• Resources are determined at compile time;
• Minimal error control;
• A rich set of features for IoT software development creators.

TizenRT

TizenRT is another popular OS for the Internet of Things. It is based on Linux. The main advantage of TizenRT is considered to be a simple, concise design that does not have anything superfluous.

The main features of TizenRT:

• Open source;
• Support for x86 and ARM platforms;
• Developers are provided with off-the-shelf tools and documentation to provide high-quality IoT development services.

Conclusion

Therefore, all of the above indicates that Linux operating systems are good for IoT. Today, there are a large number of Linux distros focused on supporting and developing the Internet of Things. Each of them has its own characteristics. Therefore, when choosing an OS, it is recommended to pay attention to the level of reliability and long-term support, performance, security, and scalability. The right choice of Linux operating system will certainly ensure high-quality IoT software development services.