guideXOS Server
A multi-architecture systems-platform branch for modern hardware, revived hardware, and long-range OS research.
guideXOS Server is a sibling project under the guideXOS umbrella. It pairs a UEFI-first direction and strict kernel layering with real work on storage, networking, graphics, and architecture portability so the platform can grow across many CPU families without being mistaken for the guideXOS desktop branch.
Server ISO status
guideXOS Server is being prepared for ISO-based testing. Until a public Server ISO is posted, the recommended path is building from source and testing through the QEMU and UEFI workflow.
Targeted Architectures
The current branch direction spans 11 architectures, with different maturity levels today.
AMD64 is the most mature path today, but the kernel tree and roadmap stretch well beyond one CPU family. Some targets already have bring-up code and device support in-tree, while others remain explicit next-stage work rather than finished deliverables.
Development Workflow
Two complementary modes for testing and iteration
Fast Host-Side Iteration
The Windows-hosted server executable provides a quick inner loop for UI work, app registration, and shell behavior before committing to a full firmware-to-kernel boot cycle.
Bare-Metal Mode
Bare metal is still the real target. UEFI, BIOS, OpenSBI, serial output, framebuffer graphics, and device drivers are validated here so the project stays honest about what actually boots.
Feature Highlights
What the current tree already does, and what Phase 8 is steering toward
Multi-Architecture Kernel
The kernel is being structured so architecture-specific bring-up stays isolated while shared storage, networking, VFS, and desktop-facing layers can evolve together.
Framebuffer Desktop Path
guideXOS Server keeps the project grounded in a visible OS experience with framebuffer output, windowing, start menu work, and screenshots from the running system instead of kernel-only milestones.
Storage Stack
ATA, AHCI, NVMe, USB storage, FAT32, exFAT, ext2/4, and UFS support provide the foundation for practical boot, install, and application storage scenarios.
Network Stack
Ethernet, ARP, IPv4, ICMP, UDP, TCP, DHCP, DNS, and a BSD-like socket layer are already part of the kernel roadmap, making networked applications a first-class goal instead of an afterthought.
Input and Display Backends
PS/2, USB HID, serial consoles, VGA, EFI GOP, ramfb, and platform-specific framebuffer drivers help the same OS experience reach very different machines and emulators.
GXAPP Packaging
The current `.gxapp` container is a native package format with metadata plus per-architecture binaries, and it anchors the broader "compile once, package for many CPUs" direction.
Developer SDK Roadmap
Phase 8 planning includes architecture detection APIs, the universal loader, gxbuild, musl integration, and a first-class SDK for external app development.
Known Gaps
IPv6, GPU acceleration, VirtIO, Secure Boot, TPM-backed features, and full ARM64 maturity are still open work. The website should reflect that reality rather than overstate support.
Recommended Dev Path
Today the most stable path is Windows development, amd64 builds, the UEFI bootloader, and QEMU. That path is the best place to start before expanding to additional targets.
Build and Run
The current workflow described by the repository
This is the recommended entry point for most contributors. It builds the UEFI bootloader, builds the kernel, prepares the ESP layout, and launches QEMU for validation.
For tighter loops, the project also supports component-specific builds such as the Windows-hosted server executable, bootloader-only MSBuild runs, and kernel-only MinGW builds.
Relationship to guideXOS
guideXOS is the original desktop operating-system branch, with closely related Legacy BIOS and UEFI editions. It should not be treated as deprecated, and guideXOS Server should not be described as simply the UEFI version of guideXOS.
guideXOS Server carries that forward while shifting the engineering center of gravity toward native boot flows, multi-architecture portability, and a universal package story for future apps.
Both projects share a design language and exploratory spirit. guideXOS remains the desktop C#/AOT branch, while guideXOS Server is currently the center of the multi-architecture systems-platform roadmap.