What is real-time Linux?

Real-time Linux is a modification of the Linux kernel that enables it to perform time-critical tasks with deterministic latencies. Standard Linux is not real-time because its scheduling and interrupt handling are not designed to provide guarantees about response times. Real-time Linux achieves predictability by minimizing interrupt latency, using real-time scheduling policies, and avoiding code sections that disable interrupts for extended periods. It is commonly used in applications such as industrial control systems, robotics, data acquisition, and multimedia processing, where timely and predictable responses are crucial.