# NodeOS/NodeOS

Lightweight operating system using Node.js as userspace

Repository: https://github.com/NodeOS/NodeOS
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/nodeos
Homepage: http://node-os.com
Language: Shell
License: MIT
License Family: permissive
Topics: nodeos, javascript, operating-system, nodejs
Last push: 2023-03-07T09:36:32+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 23/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 0, release rhythm 8, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 4790, "days_push": 1275, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 7345, forks 621 (observed 2026-08-28T04:09:58.362606+00:00)

## What it is
NodeOS is a lightweight operating system built on the Linux kernel that uses Node.js as its userspace and npm as its primary package manager. It provides a minimal base (kernel, initramfs, multi-user environment) and lets the entire npm ecosystem serve as its package repository.

## Use cases
- run a full OS where every userspace tool is a JavaScript/npm package
- boot a minimal Linux system straight into a Node.js REPL
- build custom OS images for Raspberry Pi, cloud VMs, or Docker containers
- experiment with npm as an operating-system-level package manager
- create lightweight single-purpose server appliances in JavaScript

## When to choose
- you want an OS whose entire userspace is JavaScript and npm packages
- you need a minimal, hackable Linux base for Node.js-centric appliances or experiments
- you want to contribute to or study an npm-managed operating system

## When to avoid
- you need a production-grade, security-hardened general-purpose OS
- you require non-JavaScript userspace tooling or traditional package managers
- you need active, frequent development and support

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: maintenance
- function: package-manager, developer-tools
- domain: operating-systems, developer-tools, cross-platform
- platform: cross-platform, cloud
- tags: nodejs, npm, operating-system, javascript, bare-metal, virtualization, linux, docker

## Member repositories
- NodeOS/NodeOS (main) score 23

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:09:58.362606+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T17:38:27.224314+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/NodeOS/NodeOS (fetched 2026-08-28T04:09:58.362606+00:00, sha 1407be607eb1)
  - homepage: http://node-os.com (fetched 2026-08-29T08:33:49.740172+00:00, sha f95b88f49f86)
  - site_page: http://node-os.com/docs (fetched 2026-08-29T08:33:49.742418+00:00, sha 5f006d87db43)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.