Overview
What this challenge is about.
Fork xv6-riscv, implement MLFQ scheduling with 3 queues and priority boosts, then write benchmarks and a report to earn your verifiable certificate.
The scenario
The teaching-OS group (volunteer maintainers, GitHub-based contribution flow) prioritizes patches that are well-documented and pedagogically clear over patches that are merely clever.
The Brief
What you'll do, and what you'll demonstrate.
Implement and benchmark a Multi-Level Feedback Queue scheduler in the xv6 teaching kernel so students see real interactivity tradeoffs.
Earning criteria — what you'll demonstrate
- Implement preemptive, priority-based scheduling in a real kernel
- Reason about CPU-bound vs I/O-bound workload tradeoffs
- Use kernel data structures (proc table, run queues) safely under context switches
- Design benchmarks that isolate the variable you're actually measuring
Program Fit
Where this fits in your program.
Sharpens the same skills your degree expects you to demonstrate.
Operating Systems
Bachelor · Systems
Strong alignment
This challenge maps to Operating Systems at the Bachelor level. It sharpens the same practical skills your coursework expects — but in a real industry context with actual constraints and deliverables.
Skills
Skills you'll demonstrate.
Each one shows up on your verified credential.
- Operating Systems
Apply operating systems to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
- Scheduling
Apply scheduling to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
- C Programming
Apply c programming to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
- Kernel Development
Apply kernel development to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
- Benchmarking
Apply benchmarking to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
- Systems Programming
Apply systems programming to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
Careers
Career paths this challenge builds toward
Completing this challenge demonstrates skills that transfer directly to these roles: