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Sculpt OS release 26.10
Oct 30, 2026
Sculpt OS 26.10 uses Genode's custom microkernel by default,
drops XML, hosts virtual machines in VirtualBox 7, and turns the USB
host-controller driver into a pluggable component.
A few user conveniences like a scalable and user-customizable mouse pointer,
an added visual overview of dependent components, improved flexibility of
using webcams, or new support for UK keyboards notwithstanding, the
four major shifts of the current release are below the surface.
First, Sculpt 26.10 is the first version based on Genode's custom microkernel
instead of relying on a 3rd-party kernel. This kernel - designed from the
ground up for the needs of Genode and Sculpt OS in particular - is not only
more "micro" than any other of the microkernels supported by Genode, it also
solves long-standing deficiencies concerning CPU scheduling and kernel-memory
management. Sculpt OS finally stands on Genode's own footing!
Second, the release marks the finishing line of the transition from XML to
Genode's HID configuration format,
increasing the comfort of the system's textual user interface. Whereas
the previous version still supported both XML and HID, the new version has
become relieved from the XML legacy.
As the third major shift, the new version upgrades key components, offering
VirtualBox 7 instead of version 6, and bumping all Linux-based driver
components from kernel version 6.12 to 6.18. This makes Sculpt OS
inter-operable with recent guest OS versions and a greater variety of modern
hardware. Speaking of drivers, the new version takes the concept of pluggable
drivers as far as covering the USB host-controller driver. In fact, this bus
driver can now be started, removed, and re-started without bringing USB
clients into trouble. This architectural change does not only improve
failsafety - a faulted host driver can now be instantly replaced by a fresh
instance - but also clears the way towards more flexible management of power
and seamless driver updates.
Finally, Sculpt OS 26.10 pays tribute to this year's overall
theme of "building bridges" by featuring
our software development kit (Goa SDK) running directly on Sculpt OS without
virtualization. This entails a wealth of tooling including GCC, Binutils, Git,
Sequoia, Expect, Curl, man, Make, and CMake having landed on Genode. Although
still young and not time-tested yet, it shows what's possible today and allows
us developers to gradually shift more and more development routine into this
self-hosted environment, stressing the general-purpose qualities of Genode
and motivating further optimizations.
Sculpt OS 26.10 is available as ready-to-use system image for PC hardware,
the PinePhone, and the MNT Reform laptop at the
Sculpt download page accompanied
with updated documentation.
Genode OS Framework release 26.08
Aug 25, 2026
The highlights of Genode 26.08 are VirtualBox 7, improved PC performance of
our custom microkernel, the new ability to transparently reconfigure
virtual file systems, revised timing and timeout handling, and a Linux
6.18.19 device-driver environment for ARM. Furthermore, the first version of
a Goa-based SDK has become natively available for Sculpt OS.
As a preparatory step for the addition of new features, the mid-summer release
has been focused on consolidation. The arsenal of drivers ported from Linux
has now been harmonized by consistently using kernel version 6.18.19 across
all ARM and x86 platforms. The mechanisms for timing and timeout handling
underwent a deep revision to the effect of reduced idle load and improved
timing stability. Our custom kernel received numerous code-rigidity
improvements and optimizations. And the C runtime as well as the VFS underwent
the most profound rework since their introduction.
The VFS-related work in particular unlocks several features as envisioned on
our road map, in particular the accommodation of use cases where storage
devices and file systems dynamically appear and disappear. With the new
version, virtual file systems can be reconfigured and restructured at any time
in a way that is transparent to VFS-using applications.
Feature-wise the new version introduces a new port of VirtualBox 7, which
noticeably improves the performance over version 6 while supporting a wider
variety of guest operating systems. Also related to virtualization, the
light-weight Seoul VMM received new support for exchanging files between host
and guest.
As a glimpse in the direction of the future of hosting productive development
workflows directly on Genode, Genode 26.08 comes with the initial version of a
software development kit that runs directly on Sculpt OS.
Find these and further topics of the current release covered in the
release documentation of version 26.08...
Meet us at FroSCon during August 15-16
Jul 30, 2026
We are delighted to present Genode and Sculpt OS with a stand
at FrOSCon this year again.
FrOSCon is one of the most prolific gatherings of the Free and Open-Source
community in Germany. It shares much of the spirit of FOSDEM while its smaller
scale fosters a calmer and more personal experience for visitors and
exhibitors.
FrOSCon Free and Open-Source Software Conference
August 15 and 16 in Sankt Augustin
https://froscon.org
This year, our stand will be hosted by Genode core developers
Josef Söntgen, Alexander Böttcher, and Sebastian Sumpf. It goes
without saying that the Genode-based Sculpt OS will be showcased
on a variety of devices. So whether you are interested in getting
a first impression of Genode or being eager in deeply technical
conversation, FrOSCon will present a perfect opportunity!
Genode OS Framework release 26.05
May 29, 2026
Genode 26.05 turns the most innovative aspects of Sculpt OS into reusable
framework features while advancing the driver support across the board
including LTE, I2C HID, SOF audio, ACPI, and Wifi. Further highlights are
touch-based window management, the update of Qt to version 6.8.3, and a
variety of Goa SDK improvements. The release is topped off with fresh
revisions of the "Foundations", "Applications", and "Platforms" books.
Genode 26.05 accumulates all the advancements of the recent release of
Sculpt OS 26.04,
in particular regarding driver support, touch-based window management, and
a bouquet of improvements of the Goa SDK. But the advancement goes much farther
than incremental improvements. The most innovative aspects of Sculpt OS have
just been liberated into reusable building blocks for the use in other
incarnations of Genode-based systems. Aspects like dynamic device discovery,
its unique blend of declarative administration, or multi-staged booting are no
longer exclusive to Sculpt OS but have now become a commodity for Genode users
at large.
Following up on the migration of the project from GitHub to Codeberg, we
are happy to report the completion of this delicate mission. All source-code
repositories and more than 5800 issue discussions have been successfully
relocated, and Genode Labs happily joined the Codeberg non-profit as a member.
This infrastructure change along with the framework's recent switch of its
configuration format called for a holistic documentation update. Therefore,
the release is accompanied with fresh revisions of the three Genode books.
Among the further highlights are the update of Qt to version 6.8.3, a largely
improved LTE stack, and de-privileged networking on Linux.
More topics and background stories are provided by the official
release documentation of version 26.05...
Sculpt OS release 26.04
Apr 30, 2026
Sculpt OS 26.04 gives the user unprecedented transparency and interactive
control over all components underpinning the operating system.
Version 26.04 of the Genode-based general-purpose OS lays all building blocks
of the operating system into the hands of the user, including all formerly
hard-wired components. It invites the user to explore, customize, and
restructure the system architecture on the fly. Right after booting the new
version, one is presented with all the running components ready to be
(literally) touched, controlled, and extended.
Below the surface of the administrative user interface, a major paradigm shift
awaits the user when risking a look under the hood. The system no longer
processes configuration data as mere input to its internal data model but it
exposes the data model directly to the user. Thereby Sculpt OS not only lays
the entire construction plan of the system into your hands for inspection
but the construction plan is live! Any change takes immediate effect and the
wiring between all components can be changed at will on the fly. This gives a
unique blend of interactivity with the comforts of a declarative way of life.
Speaking of the construction plan, by leveraging Genode's
human-inclined data format,
the inter-relationships of all building blocks as well as any state reported
by components are now presented in a human-digestible way unclouded by
syntactic noise, fostering clarity and understanding all the way down.
Regarding technical advances of the new version and device support in
particular, all Linux-based drivers have been updated to kernel version 6.18,
making the system compatible with most modern Intel-PC hardware. Laptop users
may appreciate the new USB networking option that is now offered by default.
Software-wise, the new version comes with a longed-after update of Qt6 along
with the Chromium-based Falkon browser, downloadable at the depot of cproc.
In the same menu, one can find the experimental first version of the Goa SDK
running natively on Sculpt OS without the need of a Linux VM. For the first
time, Genode components can now be developed, compiled, and tested using
Sculpt OS on its own. The amazement of walking without crutches.
Sculpt OS 26.04 is available as ready-to-use system image for PC hardware,
the PinePhone, and the MNT Reform laptop at the
Sculpt download page accompanied
with updated documentation.
Genode OS Framework release 26.02
Feb 26, 2026
Version 26.02 replaces XML with the custom-designed HID configuration
format, completes the first half of the project's migration from
GitHub to Codeberg, updates DDE-Linux-based protocol stacks to Linux kernel
version 6.18, and further cultivates the genode-world repository as
designated place for ported 3rd-party software.
After almost two decades of relying on XML, the framework has now switched to
the custom designed human-inclined data (HID) format. Structurally, it mirrors
the time-tested concepts of representing data as a hierarchy of nodes where
each node can have attributes. Like XML, data can be validated against schema
definitions. Syntactically, however, HID promotes calmness and clarity, and
specifically fosters the joyful use of text as an interactive user interface
of Sculpt OS.
As a second major transition, the release marks the halfway point of the
project's migration from GitHub to Codeberg.
All source repositories and discussions except for the main repository have
been successfully moved over to our new host. This includes the Goa SDK, the
genode-world repository, all hardware-specific supplements, and the books. The
release documentation linked below provides guidance for users and
contributors.
On the technical side, the highlights of the release are the gradual update
of our Linux device-driver environment to kernel version 6.18, new
input-processing capabilities, and continuous improvements of the Goa SDK.
Please find all the details and background information covered in the
release documentation of version 26.02...
Road Map for 2026
Jan 27, 2026
During 2026, we aspire to build bridges connecting Genode with others.
Our past work with 3rd-party software has been mostly motivated by extending
the feature set of Genode for the benefit of our users. In 2026, we will shift
our perspective, asking how Genode could contribute positively to existing
projects by augmenting them. Let's build bridges!
Bridges to other open-source projects. Bridges to a variety of programming
languages. Bridges to new user demographies. Bridges for the interoperability
of applications.
This theme resonated exceptionally well during our annual road-map
discussion on our public mailing list. Our updated road map presents the many
ideas and ambitions as a rough schedule for the quarterly releases of this
year. Look what's coming in 2026 by skimming our
official road-map....
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