Genode OS Framework 21.08 Streamlining Its Porting Of Linux Driver Code

We've been covering Genode OS for more than a decade now as this original open-source operating system "framework" and through this time they have managed to keep up with their routine feature releases. Out this week is Genode OS Framework 21.08 as they seek to make it easier porting device driver code to their platform.

As is the usual battle with new operating systems, good device driver coverage is key for end-user adoption. Genode OS has already ported Linux driver code in the past but relies on a lot of manual handling, to which they've now been working to streamline the process.

Genode OS 21.08 now makes it much easier to re-use existing Linux driver code. Genode previously leveraged open-source Linux code but was a time-intensive porting effort and also much upkeep. Moving forward Genode has crafted a custom tool to automate much of the repetitive work around their porting like generating dummy implementations of Linux kernel functions. Genode is also providing more reusable code blocks to benefit the Linux porting and improved methodology.

This re-imagined Linux porting approach has already helped in bringing some new i.MX8MQ drivers to Genode. Existing Linux-ported code is expected to be adapted over the coming months to this new solution. Genode is also working on improving its open-source 3D graphics support by having re-based to Mesa 21.0 and enhancing the project's GPU multiplexer. Genode is still working on Intel Gen9+ GPU support.

Genode has also been improving its cache-maintenance interface, improving the host file-system access on Genode/Linux, a RAM frame-buffer driver for QEMU is available for testing, improved webcamera support with libuvc, and is beginning to phase out deprecated components.

These Genode OS Framework 21.08 improvements will be found in their next SculptOS release due out soon, which is their general purpose operating system based on Genode.

More details on the Genode OS 21.08 release via Genode.org.