✨Our Features
Explore the core features of FLECS: app deployment, lifecycle management, device integration, and your own App Store as a Service for industrial software.
Platform capabilities for operating industrial software at scale
This section describes what FLECS enables in practice.
It does not repeat why FLECS exists or what problem it solves – that is covered in What We Do. Instead, this page focuses on the concrete platform capabilities that make the shared software layer operational.
Think of these features not as isolated functions, but as building blocks of one consistent software operation layer.
🧩 Core capabilities at a glance
FLECS provides a unified set of capabilities to:
run industrial software reliably on Linux-based devices
deploy and update software across fleets
structure responsibilities, access, and lifecycle ownership
enable branded marketplaces and digital business models
These capabilities are delivered through a small number of clearly defined components.
🐧 Linux-first by design
FLECS is built specifically for Linux-based industrial systems.
Across industrial automation, Linux has become the de-facto foundation for modern PLCs, IPCs, and edge devices. FLECS builds on this reality and provides the missing operational software layer on top.
This means:
no proprietary operating systems
no vendor-specific runtime silos
no forced hardware dependencies
FLECS runs wherever Linux runs, from resource-constrained controllers to powerful edge servers and cloud environments.
🛠 FLECS Core – the runtime foundation
At the heart of every FLECS setup is FLECS Core.
FLECS Core is a lightweight, open-source runtime that runs directly on Linux-based industrial devices such as PLCs, IPCs, and edge controllers.
Its role is to provide a standardized execution and lifecycle environment for industrial software.
With FLECS Core, you can:
install and run software in isolated containers
manage application versions and dependencies
deploy software locally or remotely
roll back to previous versions if needed
operate devices with or without cloud connectivity
FLECS Core does not replace control logic, fieldbuses, or real-time systems. It provides the operational layer around them.
FLECS Core is fully open source and publicly available.
🔄 Software lifecycle & update management
Industrial software lives for years, often decades.
FLECS provides built-in lifecycle management to ensure software remains:
maintainable
updatable
auditable
secure
Key lifecycle capabilities include:
controlled rollout of software versions
over-the-air (OTA) and on-prem update mechanisms
version tracking and changelog visibility
backup and rollback strategies
staged deployments across device groups
This allows updates to become a repeatable operational process, rather than a project-specific risk.
🔌 Device onboarding & fleet operation
FLECS supports both single-device setups and large, distributed fleets.
Devices can be:
securely onboarded using token-based mechanisms
grouped by role, location, or machine type
provisioned with predefined software sets and configurations
Once onboarded, devices can be:
monitored centrally
updated consistently
managed with clear responsibility boundaries
This applies equally to OEM shipments, brownfield retrofits, and greenfield installations.
☁️ Cloud-native architecture & deployment freedom
FLECS is cloud-native by design, but not cloud-dependent.
The platform can be operated:
fully on-premises
fully cloud-based
in hybrid or edge-centric architectures
For enterprise and regulated environments, this means:
full control over hosting and infrastructure
integration into existing IT/OT landscapes
no mandatory dependency on FLECS-operated cloud services
FLECS supports Kubernetes-based environments as well as lightweight, single-node deployments. Allowing companies to choose the operating model that fits their security, compliance, and sovereignty requirements.
🛍 Marketplace as a Service
Standardized operation enables standardized distribution.
FLECS provides Marketplace as a Service as an optional, but tightly integrated capability.
This allows companies to operate:
fully branded marketplaces under their own identity
curated app catalogs for specific machines or industries
public, private, or mixed distribution models
The FLECS ecosystem already includes 70+ ready-to-use standard industrial apps, covering areas such as:
connectivity and protocol integration
remote access and service tools
visualization and HMIs
data collection, monitoring, and analytics
security and infrastructure services
These standard apps can be:
selected and curated per role or machine type
combined with proprietary or third-party software
deployed and updated through the same lifecycle mechanisms
Marketplace capabilities include:
software packaging and publishing workflows
licensing and entitlement handling
deployment directly onto FLECS-enabled devices
update and version management as part of operation
The marketplace is an operational extension of the FLECS platform, not a standalone sales portal.
🏷 Whitelabeling & ownership control
FLECS is designed to respect existing business relationships.
Whitelabeling capabilities allow you to:
brand the device UI and web interface
operate marketplaces under your own domain
control which software is visible and available
define your own customer flows and responsibilities
FLECS remains technically present, but commercially invisible.
🛡 Security & compliance readiness
Security is not an add-on. It is a structural requirement for industrial software.
FLECS supports security and compliance by design, including:
encrypted communication (TLS)
container-based application isolation
role-based access control (RBAC)
audit logging and traceability
structured update and vulnerability handling
This architecture supports compliance requirements such as the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), without introducing separate security platforms.
🧑💻 Developer & integration interfaces
FLECS integrates into existing IT and OT landscapes.
To enable this, the platform provides:
REST APIs for automation and integration
CLI tools for scripting and CI/CD workflows
standardized app manifests and packaging formats
open interfaces for ERP, CRM, and device management systems
This ensures FLECS can be embedded into existing processes, rather than forcing new ones.
🎯 In summary
FLECS features are not individual selling points.
Together, they form a shared software layer that allows industrial software to be:
operated consistently
updated safely
distributed scalably
owned and branded by the right role
If you want to understand why this matters, see What We Do.
If you want to see how to apply these features, continue with First Steps or the role-specific guides.
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