Description
Whether a niche language like V can write a kernel that boots on real hardware is something most people can only guess at from papers or by wading through C. Vinix answers it with a system you can actually boot: a modern, fast and useful operating system written in V, with a windowed desktop that runs in a VM.
The goals are simple, readable code without giving up performance or correctness, 64-bit amd64 and arm targets with multi-core support, and source-level Linux compatibility so programs port easily; on arm64 it already runs Alpine binaries. Each release ships two bootable desktop images you can install onto an empty disk in QEMU or VirtualBox, and Chromium already runs in a Vinix window. It is still pre-alpha and not meant for daily or production use; the images are around 1 GB, so the download button points to the GitHub project page.
Written in V: The kernel and system are V code, which also pushes the compiler to cover bare-metal needs.
Bootable desktop images: Each release has an amd64 and an arm64 ISO; the first boot installs onto an empty disk and keeps user homes afterwards.
Linux source compatibility: Existing Linux programs are meant to port easily, and arm64 runs Alpine binaries directly.
Aimed at real hardware: Not just emulators; the goal includes real machines and Apple Silicon MacBooks (M1 only for now).
Open source: GPL-2.0 licensed, with a website, a Discord community and public nightly images.
The goals are simple, readable code without giving up performance or correctness, 64-bit amd64 and arm targets with multi-core support, and source-level Linux compatibility so programs port easily; on arm64 it already runs Alpine binaries. Each release ships two bootable desktop images you can install onto an empty disk in QEMU or VirtualBox, and Chromium already runs in a Vinix window. It is still pre-alpha and not meant for daily or production use; the images are around 1 GB, so the download button points to the GitHub project page.
Features
Written in V: The kernel and system are V code, which also pushes the compiler to cover bare-metal needs.
Bootable desktop images: Each release has an amd64 and an arm64 ISO; the first boot installs onto an empty disk and keeps user homes afterwards.
Linux source compatibility: Existing Linux programs are meant to port easily, and arm64 runs Alpine binaries directly.
Aimed at real hardware: Not just emulators; the goal includes real machines and Apple Silicon MacBooks (M1 only for now).
Open source: GPL-2.0 licensed, with a website, a Discord community and public nightly images.
Tags:operating-system