Introduction

VeridianOS Logo

A next-generation microkernel operating system built with Rust

Welcome to VeridianOS

VeridianOS is a modern microkernel operating system written entirely in Rust, emphasizing security, modularity, and performance. All 13 development phases (0-12) are complete as of v0.25.1, including full KDE Plasma 6 desktop integration cross-compiled from source.

This book serves as the comprehensive guide for understanding, building, and contributing to VeridianOS.

Key Features

  • Capability-based security - Unforgeable 64-bit tokens for all resource access with O(1) lookup
  • Microkernel architecture - Minimal kernel with drivers and services in user space
  • Written in Rust - Memory safety without garbage collection, 99%+ SAFETY comment coverage
  • High performance - Lock-free algorithms, zero-copy IPC (<1us latency)
  • Multi-architecture - x86_64, AArch64, and RISC-V support (all boot to Stage 6)
  • Security focused - Post-quantum crypto (ML-KEM, ML-DSA), KASLR, SMEP/SMAP, MAC/RBAC
  • KDE Plasma 6 desktop - Cross-compiled from source with Qt 6.8.3, KDE Frameworks 6.12.0
  • Self-hosting - Native GCC 14.2, binutils, make, ninja, vpkg toolchain
  • Modern package management - Source and binary package support
  • 153 shell builtins - Full-featured vsh shell with job control and scripting

Why VeridianOS?

Traditional monolithic kernels face challenges in security, reliability, and maintainability. VeridianOS addresses these challenges through:

  1. Microkernel Design: Only essential services run in kernel space, minimizing the attack surface
  2. Capability-Based Security: Fine-grained access control with unforgeable capability tokens
  3. Memory Safety: Rust's ownership system prevents entire classes of vulnerabilities
  4. Modern Architecture: Designed for contemporary hardware with multi-core, NUMA, and heterogeneous computing support

Project Philosophy

VeridianOS follows these core principles:

  • Security First: Every design decision prioritizes security
  • Correctness Over Performance: We optimize only after proving correctness
  • Modularity: Components are loosely coupled and independently updatable
  • Transparency: All development happens in the open with clear documentation

Current Status

Version: v0.25.1 (March 10, 2026) | All Phases Complete (0-12)

  • 4,095+ tests passing across host-target and kernel boot tests
  • 3 architectures booting to Stage 6 BOOTOK with 29/29 tests each
  • CI pipeline: 11/11 jobs passing
  • Zero clippy warnings across all targets
  • KDE Plasma 6 cross-compiled from source (kwin_wayland, plasmashell, dbus-daemon)
  • 153 shell builtins, 9 desktop apps, 8 settings panels

See Project Status for detailed metrics and Roadmap for phase completion history.

What This Book Covers

This book is organized into several sections:

  • Getting Started: Prerequisites, building, and running VeridianOS
  • Architecture: Deep dive into the system design and components
  • Development Guide: How to contribute code and work with the codebase
  • Platform Support: Architecture-specific implementation details
  • API Reference: Complete system call and kernel API documentation
  • Design Documents: Detailed specifications for major subsystems
  • Development Phases: All 13 phases from foundation to KDE cross-compilation

Join the Community

VeridianOS is an open-source project welcoming contributions from developers worldwide. Whether you're interested in kernel development, system programming, or just learning about operating systems, there's a place for you in our community.

License

VeridianOS is dual-licensed under MIT and Apache 2.0 licenses. See the LICENSE files for details.