FreeRTOS 7.5.0 unveiled

Version 7.5.0 is a major new version that includes many efficiency improvements, including optimisations that target the code that runs most frequently. Other enhancements include the elimination of unnecessary task switches. This is the first release to contain official ARM Cortex-A9 support, for which ports are provided for both the IAR and ARM toolchains, taking the number of supported architectures to 34. Version 7.5.0 also includes Renesas RZ + Microsemi SmartFusion2 demos that make use of the FreeRTOS+FAT SL DOS compatible file system. To maintain the ethos of ease of use, FreeRTOS V7.5.0 is backward compatible with all previous 7.x releases, enabling its benefits to be obtained by simply dropping the updated source files into existing projects. The new release adds new API functions that add functionality that has been requested by users, such as simplifying the gathering of state information and run time statistics. FreeRTOS has always emphasised coding standards as one means to ensure product quality, its original author having direct experience with the production of aerospace software. FreeRTOS users can take confidence in the fact that the FreeRTOS version 7.5.0 core source files do not generate any warnings when statically checked by Lint. FreeRTOS V7.5.0 extends FreeRTOS+Trace kernel trace functionality with new trace macros to allow the visualisation and optimisation of the recently introduced low power tickless operation mode.