MesaOS

MesaOS is a 64-bit operating system meticulously crafted from scratch using Rust, designed to offer a distinct alternative to existing operating systems such as Linux and BSD. Unlike those, MesaOS features a hybrid kernel that skillfully merges Rust's security with Linux driver compatibility via a shim that exports over 400 kernel symbols.

Key Features

• Real Linux Driver Shim: Allows for the loading of real Linux drivers without modification, supporting functions like kmalloc, printk, and pci_*.
• HD Audio Streaming: Stream WAV audio with real-time resampling and handling of 512KB chunks.
• Complete Network Stack: Supports ARP, IPv4, ICMP, DHCP, DNS, and Ethernet through virtio-net and RTL8139.
• Persistent Initrd: Files injected into the ISO are retained after a reboot, ensuring persistence without needing a disk.
• Interactive Shell: Features 82 commands, including pipes, redirection, command history, and a text editor for user-friendly interaction.
• Partial Linux Binary Compatibility: Supports various Linux system calls alongside /proc, /sys, epoll, and more.

Technical Architecture

Kernel and System

• Hybrid Kernel: Monolithic with user space in Ring 3.
• Preemptive Multitasking: Employs a round-robin scheduling mechanism with multiple states.
• Dedicated Syscalls: Supports approximately 350 recognized Linux syscalls with about 60 fully implemented.

Networking

• Supports protocols like Ethernet, ARP, ICMP, DHCP, and DNS with stateful management in TCP.

Audio and Shell

• Capable of playing WAV files with intricate command functionalities to manage audio playback and system diagnostics.

System Overview

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    RING 3 (USER)                       │
│  ELF Processes · Shell · Pipes · Syscalls Linux/MesaOS │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                    RING 0 (KERNEL)                      │
│                                                          │
│  ┌──────────────┐  ┌──────────────┐  ┌────────────────┐ │
│  │  Scheduler   │  │   Memory      │  │  Linux Shim    │ │
│  │  Round-Robin │  │  PMM/VMM     │  │  400+ symbols  │ │
│  │  Sleep Queue │  │  Heap/HHDM   │  │  workqueues    │ │
│  │  Zombies     │  │  Paging      │  │  timers        │ │
│  └──────────────┘  └──────────────┘  └────────────────┘ │
│                                                          │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Recommended Environment

MesaOS encourages users to test it in virtual environments to avoid potential issues, especially involving the NVMe driver which modifies partition tables on initialization.

MesaOS combines innovative design with practical applications, making it a valuable project for anyone interested in operating system development, system architecture, and the Rust programming language. Are you interested in this project? Join the community Discord!: https://discord.gg/sEaB7KAwtr