hard vs soft real time systems - TarisMajor/5143-OpSystems GitHub Wiki

Hard vs. Soft Real-Time Systems

Hard Real-Time Systems and Soft Real-Time Systems are two types of real-time systems differentiated by their tolerance for missing deadlines.

Hard Real-Time Systems:

Must meet all deadlines. Failure to meet deadlines could result in system failure or unsafe conditions (e.g., air traffic control, medical monitoring systems).

Soft Real-Time Systems:

Deadlines are important but missing them does not cause complete failure. Typically used in multimedia applications or online gaming, where performance may degrade but the system continues to operate. The distinction is crucial in understanding the reliability requirements of different systems and applications.

Source: Liu, J. W. (2000). Real-Time Systems. Pearson.