Genode OS Framework release 24.11 Nov 22, 2024

With mirrored and panoramic multi-monitor setups, pointer grabbing, atomic blitting and panning, and panel-self-refresh support, Genode's GUI stack gets ready for the next decade. Hardware-wise, version 24.11 brings a massive driver update for the i.MX SoC family. As a special highlight, the release is accompanied by the first edition of the free book "Genode Applications" as a gateway for application developers into Genode.

Closing up the Year of Sculpt OS usability as the theme of our road map for 2024, we are excited to unveil the results of two intense lines of usability-concerned work with the release of Genode 24.11.

For the usability of the Genode-based Sculpt OS as day-to-day operating system, the support of multi-monitor setups has been an unmet desire for a long time. Genode 24.11 does not only deliver a solution as a singular feature but improves the entire GUI stack in a holistic way, addressing panel self-refresh, mechanisms needed to overcome tearing artifacts, rigid resource partitioning between GUI applications, up to pointer-grabbing support.

The second line of work addresses the usability of application development for Genode and Sculpt OS in particular. Over the course of the year, our Goa SDK has seen a succession of improvements that make the development, porting, debugging, and publishing of software a breeze. Still, given Genode's novelties, the learning curve to get started has remained challenging. Our new book "Genode Applications" is intended as a gateway into the world of Genode for those of us who enjoy dwelling in architectural beauty but foremost want to get things done. It features introductory material, explains fundamental concepts and components, and invites the reader on to a ride through a series of beginner-friendly as well as advanced tutorials. The book can be downloaded for free at https://genode.org.

Regarding hardware support, our work during the release cycle was hugely motivated by the prospect of bringing Genode to the MNT Pocket Reform laptop, which is based on the NXP i.MX8MP SoC. Along this way, we upgraded all Linux-based i.MX drivers to kernel version 6.6 while consolidating a variety of vendor kernels, equipped our platform driver with watchdog support, and added board support for this platform to Sculpt OS.

You can find these among more topics covered in the detailed release documentation of version 24.11...