ghaerr/elks
Embeddable Linux Kernel Subset - Linux for 8086 observed · 2026-10-15
Health v2 · maintenance only
92/100
- Activity 98
- Release rhythm 81
- Longevity 100
Flags: no_license
How is this computed?
round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10) — computed 2026-10-21. Adoption (stars, forks) is never an input.
- gap_med: 84.5
- age_days: 4723
- days_rel: 45
- days_push: 15
- n_releases_24m: 3
Adoption not part of the score
1719 stars · 169 forks observed · 2026-10-15
What it is AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, 2026-08-30, confidence not recorded
ELKS is an embeddable subset of the Linux operating system targeting 16-bit Intel IA16 processors (8086, 8088, 80186, 80286, NEC V20/V30). It runs on vintage PCs, SBCs, SoCs, and FPGAs with as little as 128-512k RAM and no MMU, supporting networking, graphics, and MINIX/FAT filesystems.
Use cases
- run Linux on an 8086 or 80286 vintage PC
- boot a tiny Linux from floppy on old hardware
- build an embedded Linux system without an MMU
- run Linux on a microcontroller or FPGA-based SBC
- experiment with a minimal Linux kernel in an emulator
- set up networking on an ancient IBM PC XT
When to choose
- you need Linux on 16-bit x86 hardware with very limited RAM
- you want a no-MMU Linux for retro or embedded x86 systems
When to avoid
- you need modern 32/64-bit Linux features or current kernel drivers
- you need a production-grade OS for modern hardware
Facets
application · maturity active
embedded networking graphics operating-systems embedded-systems hardware cross-platform linux-kernel 8086 16-bit no-mmu retro-computing ia16 kernel operating-system linux
1 source
- readme: https://github.com/ghaerr/elks · fetched 2026-10-15 · be3662a3c5e7
Member repositories
| Repository | Role | Health v2 |
|---|---|---|
| ghaerr/elks | main | 92 |
For agents
Data as of 2026-10-19T08:05:51.212177+00:00 · Report a problem