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Introducing Banan-OS: An all new OS written from scratch in C++

Terminal inside Banan-OS (Image Source: Bananymous on Github)
Terminal inside Banan-OS (Image Source: Bananymous on Github)
Over the past two years, developer Bananymous has been slowly putting together a UNIX-like OS that is written almost entirely in C++. The OS even supports x86_64 and i686 architectures.

Developer Bananymous has just released a new OS written from scratch that already supports many features of modern-day operating systems. Banan-OS reflects two years of effort by the developer and is written almost entirely in C++, with some 16-bit real mode assembly utilized for the BIOS bootloader. The project even uses Bananymous' own custom C++ library. Currently, the OS supports x86_64 and i686 architectures. However, there is no need to install it locally, as the developer is hosting a live example that users can use to see what it has to offer.

Though still in its infancy, Banan-OS has several general functions that showcase how far it has come as a full-blown OS. These features include:

  • Ring3 userspace
  • SMP (multiprocessing)
  • Linear framebuffer (VESA and GOP)
  • Network stack
  • ELF executable loading
  • AML interpreter (partial)
  • Basic graphical environment

The GUI is especially impressive as it features a terminal and a basic status bar. There are currently no applications or a program launcher, but those features are next on the list to be implemented.

Banan-OS also features support for a host of different drivers, networking options, filesystems, and bootloaders that are sure to entice some collaboration efforts from other developers. The following are a few highlights from each of these categories:

  • Drivers: NVMe disks, PS2 keyboards and mice, USB keyboards, USB mice, and USB mass storage
  • Networks: ARP, ICMP, IPv4, UDP, UNIX domain sockets
  • Filesystems: Virtual filesystem, Ext2, FAT12/16/32, Dev, Ram, Proc
  • Bootloaders: GRUB and Custom BIOS bootloader

For those interested in learning more about Banan-OS's code structure or contributing to the project, users can check out the project's GitHub page. There, Bananymous provides in-depth details on the project and specific instructions on how to contribute.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2024 12 > Introducing Banan-OS: An all new OS written from scratch in C++
Stephen Pereyra, 2024-12- 6 (Update: 2024-12- 7)