Apache Mynewt vs Apache NuttX

Apache Mynewt is a free, open-source real-time operating system and development toolkit for embedded systems. It targets Cortex-M0–M4, MIPS and RISC-V microcontrollers and includes a hardware abstraction layer and board support packages. Its wireless and networking options include BLE 5, Bluetooth Mesh, LoRaWAN, TCP/IP, UDP, CoAP and 6LoWPAN. NimBLE can be configured as a full stack, host only or controller only, with up to 2 Mbps throughput and 32+ concurrent connections. Device tools cover remote firmware image management, logging, component and network statistics, and sensors; the project also describes device discovery and management using OIC 1.1. Newt combines source package management with building, debugging and installing embedded applications. Security features include device identity, secure boot, encrypted and authenticated communications, and secure over-the-air updates. The project describes uses ranging from doorbells to medical devices and power grids. Mynewt is available under Apache License 2.0. Newt installation instructions cover macOS, Linux and Windows, while simulator support has narrower native platform coverage and documented limits.

Apache NuttX is a real-time operating system for embedded systems, designed for a small footprint and standards-oriented development. It scales across 8-bit to 64-bit microcontroller environments and supports more than 15 CPU architectures, including ARM, RISC-V, x86, and Xtensa. The project lists support for more than 300 hardware boards and over 1,500 configuration templates for prototyping and production. NuttX uses POSIX and ANSI as its main standards, with POSIX serving as a development guideline rather than a licensed trademark claim. Optional filesystem support includes VFAT, ROMFS, littlefs, and NFS version 3 over UDP, and networking includes a BSD-compatible socket interface. It is free and open-source software, with separate release artifacts for the OS and integrated Apps. The configurable build system targets physical boards and devices as well as documented simulator targets. Its pseudo root filesystem can work without physical storage; mounting a true filesystem requires the relevant drivers and filesystem support. The project lists a main mailing list and Discord as community channels and is maintained by volunteers.