Announcement: Zephyr RTOS Pre-release available on the AM261x SoC!
We’re excited to announce that preliminary support for Zephyr RTOS is now available on the AM261x microcontroller. This integration unlocks a modern, highly scalable, open-source operating system for developers building industrial networking and real-time applications on the AM261x platform.
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Why Zephyr on AM261x?
| Benefit | What it means for you |
| Low‑Latency Real‑Time Performance | Deterministic scheduling and submillisecond interrupt latency for time‑critical workloads |
| Modular Architecture | Pull in only the kernel features you need, keeping binary size minimal (as low as a few KB) |
| Device‑Tree‑Driven Configuration | Simplifies board bring‑up and peripheral enablement with a single source of truth |
| Extensive Community & Vendor Ecosystem | Leverage a growing library of drivers, middleware, and sample applications |
Getting Started
1. Toolchain Setup
- Install the Zephyr SDK (v0.16.1 or newer).
- Use the recommended GCC‑Arm Embedded toolchain (`arm-none-eabi-gcc >= 10.3`).
2. Clone the Zephyr fork from TI Github
west init -m https://github.com/TexasInstruments/zephyr/tree/am261x/release zephyrproject
cd zephyrproject
west update
3. Select the AM261x LP
Zephyr now ships a ready‑to‑use board definition: `am261x_lp`
west build -b am261x_lp samples/hello_world
4. Flash the Image
Use existing tools like TI Uniflash GUI tool to flash the image. Steps here
More info - Link
5. Debugging
It is recommended to use CCS for flashing & debugging the binary image. Steps here
More info - Link
6. The key enablement in the first release
Launch Pad support for AM261x
R5F (arch) support for interrupts, Cache, MPU configs
IOMUX controls via pinctrl
Systick support with RTI as Tickless Kernel enablement
MBox Driver enabled in compatibility with IPC notify Layer
UART, GPIO Peripheral Support
Resources
| Resource | Links |
| Zephyr RTOS Documentation | https://docs.zephyrproject.org |
| AM261x Hardware Reference | github.com/.../index.rst |
| Getting Started Guide (PDF) | www.example.com/.../zephyr‑quick‑start.pdf |
| Community Forum | forum.zephyrproject.org/.../am261x |
| Sample Repository | github.com/.../am261x |
Support & Feedback
- Technical Support: Open a ticket in the E2E forum (Tags “Zephyr – AM261x”).
- Community Contributions: Pull requests adding drivers, board configurations, or sample applications are always welcome!
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Let’s Build the Future Together!
The AM261x series now has the power and flexibility of Zephyr RTOS at its fingertips. Whether you’re prototyping a Motor Controller or a small robot, Zephyr gives you a modern, open‑source foundation to accelerate development.
Happy coding!
The AM261x & Zephyr Integration Team