guideXOS

The original C#/AOT desktop operating-system project, with Legacy BIOS and UEFI boot editions under one guideXOS branch.

Desktop Operating-System Experience

guideXOS is the original guideXOS desktop OS branch, written in C#/AOT and focused on a visible, usable operating-system experience. It keeps desktop UI, applications, and OS experimentation front and center while continuing low-level bring-up work.

  • Original guideXOS C#/AOT branch
  • Desktop shell, applications, and GUI-first identity
  • Managed-language operating-system experimentation
  • Legacy BIOS and UEFI boot editions of the same project
  • Ongoing debugging and bring-up work without deprecating the desktop path

One desktop OS branch with two closely related boot editions

Boot Editions: Legacy BIOS and UEFI

Legacy BIOS and UEFI are not separate major projects. They are two boot editions of guideXOS, and the major difference today is the boot environment rather than the identity of the OS itself.

  • Legacy BIOS is currently the more stable and demo-friendly edition
  • UEFI is currently unstable and primarily useful for bring-up and firmware debugging
  • Both editions remain part of the same guideXOS desktop project
  • Desktop behavior and project goals stay closely aligned across both editions
  • UEFI work remains important for future boot capability

Same guideXOS branch, different boot environments

Edition Comparison

Edition Boot path Stability Recommended use
Legacy BIOS BIOS / legacy boot More stable Demos, screenshots, and general guideXOS testing
UEFI UEFI boot Unstable / bring-up Developer testing, firmware debugging, and future boot work

The Legacy BIOS and UEFI editions are nearly identical at the OS and project level. The major difference is the boot environment. The UEFI edition is currently unstable and should be treated as an experimental bring-up target.

Legacy BIOS is the safer demo path today

Why guideXOS still matters

guideXOS is still the desktop-facing heart of the guideXOS ecosystem. It remains the place to explore the original GUI OS direction, applications, screenshots, and managed-code OS design.

  • Desktop environment and application experience stay front and center
  • C#/AOT remains part of the project identity
  • Legacy BIOS and UEFI work can progress without splitting the project into separate brands
  • guideXOS Server is a sibling branch, not a replacement label for the UEFI edition
  • The guideXOS ecosystem can grow in multiple directions without retiring the original desktop OS

guideXOS Server is related, but it is not just guideXOS UEFI

Continue with the branch that fits your goal

Start with guideXOS if you want the desktop OS experience and the original C#/AOT direction. Move to guideXOS Server when you want the newer multi-architecture systems-platform branch.

  • guideXOS: desktop OS demos, screenshots, and C#/AOT experimentation
  • guideXOS Server: public AMD64 v0.2.1 ISO plus continued multi-architecture platform work
  • guideXOS Hypervisor: experimental emulation and virtualization research

The guideXOS ecosystem now has clearly separated sibling branches

guideXOS Server v0.2.1

What a person downloading the amd64 release can actually use today.

Desktop and windowing

Graphical desktop, window management, taskbar, Start Menu, desktop icons, and appearance controls.

Implemented

File Explorer and file management

File Explorer, practical file and folder operations, filesystem-backed desktop content, and Trash integration.

Implemented

Built-in application suite

Built-in utilities and applications including Notepad, Calculator, Clock, Task Manager, Display Options, and more.

Implemented

guideXOS Navigator

Native browser work with HTTP, HTML subset rendering, forms-lite, bookmarks, and local page support.

Implemented with limits

App Model

Built-in metadata, manifests, launch resolution, file associations, and shell objects with separate hosted and bare-metal paths.

Partial parity

Storage and networking

Current storage, filesystem, VFS, and networking layers used by the released system, with hardware compatibility varying by machine.

Implemented; verify hardware

Roadmap-only: broader architecture maturity, universal application execution, SDK expansion, and hypervisor ownership remain development or experimental work.

Ready to Explore guideXOS?

Start with the guideXOS wiki, then compare it with the Server and Hypervisor branches when you are ready

Open guideXOS Wiki View Downloads