obnizOS — Operating System for obniz Devices

The OS that makes a device
part of the cloud.

Q: What does obnizOS run on?

Not Linux. It is a purpose-built embedded OS that runs directly on microcontrollers such as the ESP32, and is available for several MCU families including ARM. It runs on MCUs costing a few hundred yen, with no cooling fan or bulk storage required.

Q: Do users modify the OS or flash programs onto it?

No. obnizOS is written at the factory, and your logic lives on the cloud side — JavaScript on obniz Cloud, MCP / APIs, or your own server. That is Firmwareless. Only when you want a little on-device processing do you use the Lua plugin.

Q: What happens when the internet drops?

The device keeps trying to reconnect. Data captured while offline can be queued and sent after recovery. If autonomous behaviour is required during an outage, the Lua plugin can hold that logic on the device.

Q: How are OS updates delivered?

Over the air from obniz Cloud — under a minute on Wi-Fi, about ten minutes on LTE. Security fixes and new features are provided by obniz; no site visit is needed.

Q: Can it connect to a server other than obniz Cloud?

Yes. Self-hosting is supported through obniz-dock, so you can run your own server. In closed networks such as hospitals and power plants, the same obnizOS devices and the same code work unchanged.

Q: Can I run obnizOS on my own hardware?

Talk to us about running obnizOS on your own hardware built around a supported MCU. Alternatively, embed an existing obnizOS device (Intelligent Edge, BLE Gateway, obniz Board) as is.

The dedicated OS on every obniz device, running on a microcontroller.

See the devices Documentation

obnizOS · connected

device 8719-6211

Cloud link obniz Cloud / TLS 1.2
Auth per-device public key
Reconnect auto · offline queue
OS update OTA · < 1 min (Wi-Fi)
Power sleep 10 min · wake on timer
Firmware none — logic runs outside

All of this is the OS’s job. Application developers never implement it.

In Production: 2018 since
Devices: 40,000+ in the field
Security: TLS 1.2 elliptic-curve + per-device key
OS Update: < 1 min remote, over Wi-Fi

Firmwareless

The program lives outside the device.

Conventional IoT devices need firmware flashed onto each unit and re-flashed for every update.

Conventional firmware

obnizOS (Firmwareless)

Where the program lives

On the device (firmware)

Outside the device (cloud / your server / AI)

Per-device development

Embedded development per device and use case

None. Every device runs the same obnizOS

Changing the logic

Re-flash on site, or build your own OTA

Change the cloud-side code and every device follows instantly

Security updates

Write and distribute patches yourself

Delivered remotely as obnizOS updates

OS foundation

Linux (capable but heavy, kernel vulnerabilities to manage)

Microcontroller OS (lightweight, low power, no kernel-level malware)

What obnizOS Does

Eight jobs the OS does for you.

Application developers never think about this layer.

Cloud link & auto recovery

Power on and it connects to obniz Cloud by itself. On disconnection it keeps reconnecting, and data captured while offline is queued.

Authentication & encryption

All traffic is encrypted with TLS 1.2 and elliptic-curve crypto. Each device authenticates with its own public key, preventing impersonation.

Remote OS updates

Security fixes and new features ship over the air. Under a minute over Wi-Fi, around ten minutes over LTE, to every device.

Power management

Timer sleep (from 1 second) and pin-interrupt wake enable long-term battery or solar operation.

Network setup

Configure over USB, Wi-Fi, or a browser — no dedicated app. Register devices with a QR code, or provision in bulk with obniz-cli.

I/O abstraction

GPIO, analog, UART, I2C, SPI, BLE and more are exposed as one unified API, so cloud-side code can simply call io0.output(true).

Lua plugin (optional)

When you need a little logic on the device, live-update Lua without rebooting — for autonomous control while offline or millisecond responses.

Self-hosting (optional)

Connect to your own server instead of obniz Cloud. With obniz-dock you keep the same developer experience as the app-sdk.

Security

Microcontroller-based:
robust and lightweight.

obnizOS runs directly on a microcontroller, not on Linux. Kernel vulnerabilities and viruses do not apply, and there is no cooling fan or bulk storage. Even on an MCU costing a few hundred yen, browser-grade encryption and per-device authentication come standard.

Even without a security team, you never have to implement device-side authentication, encryption, or update delivery yourself.

TLS 1.2 + elliptic-curve

Browser-grade transport encryption on every device, by default.

Per-device public-key auth

Each unit holds its own key; the cloud verifies its identity.

Microcontroller-based

No Linux kernel, so kernel vulnerabilities and common malware do not apply.

Token-scoped permissions

obniz Cloud limits what each API key / access token may do.

Remote updates

Vulnerability fixes ship as obnizOS updates. No site visits.

ISO 27001

obniz holds ISMS certification covering the whole service, cloud included.

terminal — obniz-cli

# Connect over USB; configure Wi-Fi and register with obniz Cloud in one go
$ obniz-cli os:config --ssid "factory-ap" --password "********"
✓ wrote network config
✓ device 8719-6211 connected to obniz Cloud

# Update the OS (over Wi-Fi, under a minute)
$ obniz-cli os:update 8719-6211
✓ obnizOS 3.x → latest

Setup & Operations

Setup anyone on site can do.

No dedicated app. Configure the network over USB, Wi-Fi, or a browser, and register devices with a QR code. It works even when store staff at the customer site do the installation.

Network setup over USB / Wi-Fi / browser
QR-code registration and ownership transfer
Bulk provisioning with obniz-cli
Remote OS updates and health monitoring from obniz Cloud

Hardware

obnizOS devices

Whichever you choose, the OS, cloud, and application layers are the same.

Intelligent Edge Kilo

Gateway for PLCs and industrial equipment. RS232/485/CAN/Ethernet/relay.

Intelligent Edge Micro

Compact module for embedding and outdoor use. Wi-Fi/LTE-M/BLE5.

BLE/Wi-Fi Gateway

Plug it into an outlet and nearby BLE devices go to the cloud.

obniz Board 1Y

Prototyping board you drive with JavaScript and AI.

Hardware comparison Ask about obnizOS on your own hardware

Lua Plugin

A little intelligence on the device.

Logic normally lives in the cloud, but autonomous control during outages or millisecond responses can be placed on the device in Lua. It live-updates without a reboot, so you extend without giving up the Firmwareless benefits.

Lua Plugin documentation ↗

Self-hosting

Same device, same code — even in closed networks.

obnizOS can connect to your own server instead of obniz Cloud. With obniz-dock you keep the app-sdk developer experience while running inside hospitals, power plants, and factories with no internet.

obniz-dock (GitHub) ↗

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Q. What does obnizOS run on?