Skip to content

profile

Directory actions

More options

Directory actions

More options

Latest commit

 

History

History

profile

Folders and files

NameName
Last commit message
Last commit date

parent directory

..
README.md
README.md
 
 

README.md

Aion Operating System Family

A modern, real-time operating system built from the ground up with units, capabilities, and message-passing.

Architecture

The Aion operating system is composed of three main components:

🔷 AionCore - The Microkernel

Real-time microkernel providing core primitives:

  • Units - Isolated execution containers (not processes)
  • Capabilities - Unforgeable access rights
  • Message-passing IPC - Primary communication mechanism
  • Hard real-time guarantees - Bounded execution time
  • Per-CPU design - Lock-free patterns for scalability

Repository: aioncore

🌐 AionSpace - Userland Services

Userspace services and system components:

  • Device drivers (keyboard, serial, storage, network)
  • Filesystems and VFS
  • Network stack
  • POSIX personality layer
  • System utilities and tools

Repository: Coming soon

🔗 AionMesh - Cluster Coordination

Distributed system capabilities:

  • Multi-node coordination
  • Distributed IPC
  • Resource federation
  • Fault tolerance and replication
  • Cluster-wide scheduling

Repository: Coming soon

Design Principles

  1. Microkernel First - Keep the kernel small (<10K LOC)
  2. Real-Time Throughout - Every operation has bounded time
  3. Userspace by Default - If it can run in userspace, it must
  4. Capability Security - No ambient authority
  5. Message-Passing - IPC over shared memory
  6. Per-CPU Everything - Minimize locking, maximize parallelism
  7. Formal Verification - Designed for provability

Current Status

Phase 1 & 2.1: ✅ Complete

  • Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL)
  • Per-CPU infrastructure
  • Interrupt handling (IDT)
  • PIT timer with TSC calibration
  • Unit testing framework

Phase 2.2: 🔨 In Progress

  • Physical Memory Manager (PMM)
  • Basic paging and MMU

Phase 3+: 📋 Planned

  • Tasks, threads, and scheduler
  • IPC and capabilities
  • Userspace services (AionSpace)
  • Cluster support (AionMesh)

Influences

Built on ideas from:

  • seL4 - Formally verified microkernel
  • Fuchsia/Zircon - Capability-based design
  • QNX - Real-time microkernel architecture
  • MINIX - Pioneering microkernel design

With our unique twist:

  • Units instead of processes
  • Built for RT from day one
  • No POSIX in kernel (userspace personality)
  • Designed for formal verification
  • Modern per-CPU lock-free patterns

License

MIT License - Copyright (c) 2025 sistemica GmbH

Start here: Check out AionCore to see the kernel implementation!