Tock is an embedded operating system designed for running multiple concurrent, mutually distrustful applications on Cortex-M based embedded platforms. Tock’s design centers around protection, both from potentially malicious applications and from device drivers. Tock uses two mechanisms to protect different components of the operating system. First, the kernel and device drivers are written in Rust, a systems programming language that provides compile-time memory safety, type safety and strict aliasing. Tock uses Rust to protect the kernel (e.g. the scheduler and hardware abstraction layer) from platform specific device drivers as well as isolate device drivers from each other. Second, Tock uses memory protection units to isolate applications from each other and the kernel.

Learn More

How would you like to get started?

Use Tock

First, follow our getting started guide to setup your system to compile Tock and Tock applications.

Then head to the hardware page to learn about the hardware platforms Tock supports. Also check out the tutorials to get started running apps with TockOS.

Develop Tock

Read our getting started guide to get the correct version of the Rust compiler, then look through the /kernel, /capsules, /chips, and /boards directories.

We’re happy to accept pull requests and look forward to seeing how Tock grows.

Learn How Tock Works

Both the design and implementation of Tock are documented in the docs folder. Read through the guides there to learn about the kernel, Tock’s use of Rust, the build system, and applications.

Keep Up To Date

Check out the blog where the Talking Tock post series highlights what’s new in Tock and follow @talkingtock on Twitter.

You can also browse and subscribe to our email group to see discussions on Tock development.