Genode OS Framework 19.11 released Nov 28, 2019

We released the version 19.11 of the Genode OS framework, introducing a custom block-device encrypter, 64-bit ARM virtualization, and new tooling for application development.

As with every release, the accompanied documentation presents the technical achievements along with background stories:

https://genode.org/documentation/release-notes/19.11

One particularly exciting story is the development of our custom block- device encrypter. It is the first non-trivial Genode component written primarily in the SPARK programming language, which was designed for the application of formal verification methods to real-world software.

The second major addition is a new virtual machine monitor for 64-bit ARM platforms. It leverages the proof of concept we developed in 2015 for ARMv7, which we pursued as a technology exploration. In contrast, our aspiration with the new virtual machine monitor is a product- quality solution.

With respect to tooling, the new release explores an intriguing new direction for Genode. Whereas Genode's regular development tools were designed for whole-systems development, our new tool called Goa puts the development of application software into focus. In particular, it bridges Genode with popular commodity tools like CMake.

Among the further topics addressed by the current release are vast improvements of Genode's POSIX compatibility, multi-core support on 64-bit i.MX8 SoCs, and improved device-driver support for x86.