Cafe OS
Cafe OS is the operating system running on the PowerPC in Wii U mode. It consists of the Cafe OS kernel, the executable loader, and system libraries. Unlike on the Wii, where games ran with full hardware access, Wii U applications run under the supervision of the kernel, isolating them from each other. All applications are modified ELFs, as are the libraries themselves, and applications dynamically link with them to gain access to OS services. Cafe OS also contains a few system processes, like the home menu and error handler.
Architecture
Kernel
Loader
Libraries
Cafe OS applications dynamically link with system libraries to get access to OS services. These OS services include memory management, graphics, audio, and controller input. All libraries are RPL files, a modification of the standard ELF format with compressed sections and more Windows-like dynamic linking. The main system libraries are listed below, with some having their own pages of documentation:
- coreinit.rpl - Kernel, memory, and FS
- gx2.rpl - Graphics
- snd_core.rpl - Audio
- vpad.rpl - Gamepad input
- nsysnet.rpl - BSD sockets