# zeal-operating-system/zealos

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2,322 stars · 117 forks · HolyC · Unlicense

## Links

- GitHub: https://github.com/Zeal-Operating-System/ZealOS
- Homepage: https://zealos.net
- awesome-repositories: https://awesome-repositories.com/repository/zeal-operating-system-zealos.md

## Topics

`holyc` `operating-system` `public-domain` `templeos` `terry-davis` `zealos` `zenithos`

## Description

ZealOS is a 64-bit operating system designed for bare-metal deployment and custom kernel development. It provides a self-contained environment that operates within a single-address-space memory model, where all software executes in a ring-zero privilege level to eliminate context switching and facilitate direct hardware interaction.

The system distinguishes itself through a monolithic architecture that integrates just-in-time compilation, allowing source code to be translated into machine instructions during runtime. It bypasses traditional abstraction layers by utilizing direct hardware memory mapping and a hardware-agnostic 32-bit framebuffer for graphics rendering, ensuring low-latency control over system resources and visual output.

The platform supports a range of low-level systems programming tasks, including raw input device handling and the modernization of legacy hardware architectures. It includes administrative utilities such as a web-based file system browser and maintains compatibility with external bootloaders to simplify the initialization process on physical or virtual machines.

## Tags

### Operating Systems & Systems Programming

- [Hobbyist Operating Systems](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/hobbyist-operating-systems.md) — A modernized operating system environment built for 64-bit hardware that provides integrated development tools and a custom kernel architecture.
- [Operating System Development](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/os-development-distributions/operating-system-development.md) — Provides a platform for building and modifying a 64-bit operating system kernel from source.
- [Custom Kernel Compilation](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/custom-kernel-compilation.md) — Allows users to compile the kernel from source and manage low-level hardware interactions directly.
- [Direct Memory Access](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/direct-memory-access.md) — Provides direct access to physical memory addresses and hardware registers for low-latency system control.
- [Single-Address-Space Operating Systems](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/single-address-space-operating-systems.md) — Implements a flat memory architecture where the kernel and applications share a single address space.
- [Monolithic Binary Images](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/binary-memory-loading/monolithic-binary-images.md) — Structures the operating system core as a monolithic binary blob to enable rapid boot sequences.
- [External Bootloader Interfaces](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/kernel-core-internals/boot-startup-management/multi-stage-bootloaders/bootloader-abstractions/external-bootloader-interfaces.md) — Supports initialization via third-party bootloaders through a standardized pre-boot interface. ([source](https://zeal-operating-system.github.io/Doc/ChangeLog.DD.html))
- [Low-Level Systems Programming](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/kernel-core-internals/process-and-memory-management/memory-management/allocation-strategies/memory-allocation-libraries/low-level-systems-programming.md) — Enables low-level systems programming by interacting directly with hardware components without standard abstractions.
- [Embedded Operating Systems](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/os-development-distributions/embedded-operating-systems.md) — Provides a lightweight, self-contained operating system environment for dedicated computing tasks.

### Software Engineering & Architecture

- [Privilege-Level Execution Environments](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/software-engineering-architecture/integration-extensibility/programmatic-interfaces/binding-generators/zero-overhead/privilege-level-execution-environments.md) — Executes all software at the highest processor privilege level to simplify inter-process communication and remove context switching overhead.
- [Just-in-Time Compilers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/software-engineering-architecture/function-execution-engines/just-in-time-compilers.md) — Integrates a runtime compiler to translate source code into machine instructions for immediate execution.

### DevOps & Infrastructure

- [Bare Metal Environments](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/devops-infrastructure/infrastructure/private-enterprise-management/virtualization-bare-metal/bare-metal-environments.md) — Operates as a self-contained environment designed for deployment on physical bare-metal hardware.

### Graphics & Multimedia

- [Framebuffer Renderers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/graphics-multimedia/graphics-rendering-engines/framebuffer-renderers.md) — Generates visual output by writing pixel data directly to a memory-mapped video buffer.