Comparison of open-source operating systems


These tables compare free software / open-source operating systems. Where not all of the versions support a feature, the first version which supports it is listed.

General information

NameLicenseKernel typeKernel programming languageKernel thread supportOS familyOldest non-EOL versionForks
LinuxMonolithic with modulesC1:1Unix-like4.4elks
FreeBSDMonolithic with modulesC1:1BSD, Unix-like13.5DragonFly BSD
OpenBSDMonolithicC1:1BSD, Unix-like6.4MirOS
NetBSDMonolithic with modulesC1:1BSD, Unix-like7.0OpenBSD
DragonFly BSDHybridC1:1BSD, Unix-like
OpenSolaris, illumosMonolithic with modulesC1:1, M:NUnix
Darwin, OpenDarwinHybridC, C++1:1BSD, Unix, Unix-like, OS X
OpenHarmonyMulti-kernel Various 1:1, M:N, POSIXHarmonyOS, LiteOS3.0.1 LTSOniro OS, HarmonyOS
OniroMulti-kernel Various 1:1, M:N, POSIXOpenHarmony3.2 LTS
MINIXMicrokernelCUnix-like
RedoxOSMicrokernelRustUnix-like
FreeRTOSRTOSCRTOS
FreeDOSMonolithicCDOS1.1
GenodeMicrokernelC++1:1Genode
HaikuHybridC, C++BeOS
HouseHaskellown/original
KolibriOSMonolithicASMMenuetOS
MenuetOSMonolithicASMown/originalKolibriOS
GNU or Monolithic C1:1Unix-like2.4 on Linux-libre kernel Linux
ReactOSHybridC, C++Windows-like
RISC OSMonolithic ARM assembly, C, BBC BASICRISC OSRISC OS 6
L4, Fiasco, PistachioMicrokernelC++L4
Plan 9HybridC1:1, 1:M Cothread style.own, Unix informedInferno, Plan B, 9front
AROSExokernelCAmigaOS
SyllableHybridC, C++1:1Unix-like, BeOS, AmigaOS, POSIX
InfernoCPlan 9OzInferno
NuttXRTOSCRTOS
eCosRTOSC, C++RTOS
RTEMSRTOSC and ASM with native support for other languages including C++ and AdaPOSIX, RTEID/ORKID, uITRONRTOS4.7.1
HelenOSMicrokernelCM:Nown/original
E/OSMonolithicASM, C1:1BeOS, Unix-like
TempleOSMonolithicHolyC, C, C++Commodore 64-like-
MicrokernelC, C++, Assembly, Makefile, IGOR ProOS/2-like
NameLicenseKernel typeKernel programming languageKernel thread supportOS familyOldest non-EOL versionForks

Supported architectures

Namex86, i386, x86 SMPXenIA-64x86-64PowerPCPowerPC SMPSPARC32SPARC SMPAlphaMIPSARMXScaleM68kPA-RISCOpenRISCElbrusLoongArchSuperHz/Architectureothershosted mode
LinuxFR-V, Cell, ETRAX CRIS, M32R, Xtensa, h8, s390, SuperHUML, coLinux, MkLinux, ,
FreeBSDPC98
OpenBSD
NetBSDSuperH, ns32k, VAX, hppa, M68010, mipseb, mipsel, sh3eb, sh3el, sparc64
DragonFly BSD
OpenSolaris illumos
Darwin, OpenDarwin
OpenHarmony
Oniro
MINIX
FreeDOS
GenodeRISC-VLinux
HaikuRISC-V
KolibriOS
MenuetOS
GNUFR-V, Cell, ETRAX CRIS, M32R, Xtensa, h8, s390, SuperHUML,
ReactOS
RISC OSGenode
L4, PistachioGenode
Plan 9Seelguest, vx32
AROS,
Syllable
InfernoAMD Am29000, Texas Instruments OMAPMicrosoft Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, Plan 9, OS X, Solaris, Irix, UnixWare, HP-UX, Internet Explorer
FreeRTOSAVR, PIC, MSP430, HCS12, 8052, MicroBlaze, Cortex-M3, H8S
eCos, ColdFire, FR-V, h8, , Nios II, Microsoft Windows, Linux
RTEMSXenBlackfin, Nios II, Coldfire, Texas Instruments C3x/C4x, H8SLinux, Solaris, Cygwin, FreeBSD, multiple CPU simulators
HelenOS
E/OS
TempleOSQEMU, VirtualBox, etc.
Namex86, i386, IA-32x86 SMPXenIA-64x86-64PowerPCPowerPC SMPSPARC32SPARC SMPAlphaMIPSARMXScaleM68kPA-RISCOpenRISCElbrusLoongArchSuperHz/Architectureotherhosted mode