IR0 is a custom monolithic (but hybrid with Linux subs) kernel written from scratch in C and assembly, built to explore low-level OS development with a clean and modular architecture.
It aims to be minimal at its core, but flexible enough to scale into different use cases: desktop, server, or embedded systems (IoT). Think of it as a learning playground — but with real-world goals.
- 🪵 VGA-based text output and custom logging system
- 🧠 Software paging (virtual memory support)
- ⚡ IDT + basic interrupt handling (hardware & page faults)
- ⏱️ PIT-based timer + interrupt dispatch
- 🚨 Kernel panic system
- 💻 Fully custom bootloader (no GRUB but used in x64)
- 🛠️ Designed to support modular targets (Desktop, Server, IoT)
- /boot -> Bootloader & real mode ASM
- /kernel -> Main kernel logic (paging, init, panic)
- /idt -> Interrupt descriptor table setup
- /io -> Text output and logging (print, colors)
- /paging -> Paging structures and control
- /panic -> Panic handler and CPU halt
- /timer -> PIT driver and handler
- /linker.ld -> Custom linker script
- /setup -> For Custom builds
| Subsystem | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bootloader | ✅ Ready | Custom, no GRUB |
| Paging | ✅ Stable | 32-bit, 4KB pages |
| Interrupts (IDT) | ✅ OK | Supports hardware & page fault |
| PIT Timer | No scheduling yet | |
| Scheduler | 🚧 Planned | Timer wheel / fair scheduling |
| HPET / LAPIC | 🕒 Pending | High-res timers (coming soon) |
| Filesystem | 🚧 Planned | Custom EXT2-based w/ vector index |
| Syscalls & IPC | 🚧 Future | Planned for later phase |
| GUI / Desktop | 🕒 Optional | For IR0-Desktop profile |
Requirements:
nasm,gcc(cross-compiler preferred),ld,qemu
make
qemu-system-i386 -kernel ir0.bin-
Modular build targets:
-
IR0-Desktop: GUI, drivers, custom FS
-
IR0-Server: Network stack, container runtime
-
IR0-IoT: Minimal core, real-time schedulers
-
Vector-based file indexing
-
64-bit transition
-
Support for Docker/Kubernetes via hybrid syscall layer with Linux
This project is mostly for learning and experimentation, but PRs, ideas or suggestions are welcome :--). You can open issues or forks to propose features or improvements.