What is the Edge Microvisor Toolkit (EMT)?

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The Edge Microvisor Toolkit helps developers securely onboard, provision, and manage edge devices for AI workloads

It is an open-source, lightweight operating system based on Azure Linux, and optimized for Intel® architecture. As a container-first, immutable OS, it is a perfect foundation for high-performance edge computing workloads that benefit from scalability and ease of management.

It will unlock new functionalities before mainstream Linux distributions, while also including the existing functionality not down streamed in the existing distributions.

Choose your flavor:

1. Standalone Node (immutable)
2. Developer Node (mutable)
3. EMT (default) (immutable)
4. EMT with Real-Time Extensions (immutable)

1. Edge Microvisor Toolkit – Standalone Node (Immutable)
Ideal for production deployments and evaluations where simplicity, security, and immutability are critical.

Characteristics:

• Read-only root filesystem (immutable design)
• Pre-configured Kubernetes and system stack (HookOS with K3s)
• Atomic A/B image update support with rollback
• Configurable via pre-defined .spec files
• Supports container workloads and Intel® hardware acceleration
• No persistent state; ideal for repeatable, reliable deployment at scale

Best For:

• Edge production nodes
• Distributed environments needing minimal maintenance
• Customers using Open Edge Platform for deployment

Learn more: Edge Microvisor Toolkit Standalone Node (immutable)

2. Edge Microvisor Toolkit – Developer Node (Mutable)
Tailored for development and testing, where write access and experimentation are needed.

Characteristics:

• Writable root filesystem (mutable design)
• Allows installation of additional packages and debugging tools
• Supports developer workflows like package testing, tracing, and customization
• Still compatible with EMT tooling and update framework (but not A/B updates)

Best For:

• Developers creating or testing packages
• Debugging and tracing low-level platform components
• Custom workload integration and testbeds

Learn more: Edge Microvisor Toolkit Developer Node (mutable)

3. Edge Microvisor Toolkit (Immutable)
The default, production-grade OS image, meant for general-purpose edge workloads.

Characteristics:

• Similar to Standalone Node but more modular
• Used as a base image in custom builds
• Can be extended with additional packages or components
• Supports containerized workloads and secure boot flows
• Full integration with the Edge Manageability Framework (EMF)

Best For:

• Teams creating tailored versions from a stable, minimal base
• Systems integrators or OEMs needing production OS image

Learn more: Edge Microvisor Toolkit (immutable)

4. Edge Microvisor Toolkit with Real-Time Extensions (Immutable)
For latency-sensitive edge applications, like industrial control, robotics, and real-time inference.

Characteristics:

• Includes PREEMPT_RT or equivalent real-time kernel patches
• Same immutable design and A/B update support as the base image
• Prioritizes deterministic timing and scheduling
• Tuned for real-time networking and I/O

Best For:

• Use cases requiring predictable performance (e.g., factories, smart grids, autonomous machines)
• Applications sensitive to jitter or scheduling delays

Learn more: Edge Microvisor Toolkit with real time extensions (immutable)

Custom Images
If these variants don’t fully meet your needs, EMT's build system allows you to:

• Mix and match packages with .spec files
• Build for different formats (ISO, VHD, RAW, UKI)
• Create your own real-time, debug-enabled, or application-specific OS images

Have you tried any of them? Share your experience with us. :)

Resources
Developer Guide