The POSIX standard for real-time extensions (1003.1b) specifies a set of interfaces to kernel facilities. To improve application portability, the VxWorks kernel, wind, includes both POSIX interfaces and interfaces designed specifically for VxWorks.

This manual (especially in this chapter) uses the qualifier "Wind" to identify facilities designed expressly for use with the VxWorks wind kernel. For example, you can find a discussion of Wind semaphores contrasted to POSIX semaphores in Comparison of POSIX and Wind Semaphores.