These tables compare free software / open-source operating systems. Where not all of the versions support a feature, the first version which supports it is listed.

General information

NameLicenseKernel typeKernel programming languageKernel thread supportOS familyOldest non-EOL versionForks
AROSExokernelCAmigaOSNo
Darwin, OpenDarwinAPSLHybridC, C++1:1BSD, Unix, Unix-like, OS XNo
DragonFly BSDBSDHybridC1:1BSD, Unix-likeNo
eCosRTOSC, C++RTOSNo
E/OSGPLv2MonolithicASM, C1:1BeOS, Unix-likeNo
FreeBSDBSD; GPL, LGPL software usually includedMonolithic with modulesC1:1BSD, Unix-like13.5DragonFly BSD
FreeDOSGPLMonolithicCDOS1.1
FreeRTOSRTOSCRTOSNo
GenodeAGPLMicrokernelC++1:1Genode
GNUGPL(Hurd kernel) or Monolithic (Linux-libre kernel, fork of Linux kernel, and other kernels which are not part of the GNU Project)C1:1Unix-like2.4 on Linux-libre kernel (not on Hurd kernel)Linux
HaikuMITHybridC, C++BeOSNo
OpenHarmonyApacheMulti-kernel (inc. add-ons, alongside custom add-ons not part of OpenHarmony project)Various (C, C++, Rust, Cangjie)1:1, M:N, POSIXHarmonyOS (without AOSP), LiteOS3.0.1 LTSOniro OS, HarmonyOS (NEXT)
HelenOSBSDMicrokernelCM:Nown/originalNo
HouseBSDHaskellown/originalNo
InfernoGPL, LGPL; MITCPlan 9NoOzInferno
KolibriOSGPLMonolithicASMMenuetOSNo
L4, Fiasco, PistachioSome GPL, some BSDMicrokernelC++L4No
LinuxGPL version 2 onlyMonolithic with modulesC1:1Unix-like4.4elks
MenuetOS, commerce excluded, GPL v2(Menuet 32)MonolithicASMown/originalNoKolibriOS
MINIXBSDMicrokernelCUnix-likeNo
NetBSDBSDMonolithic with modulesC1:1BSD, Unix-like7.0OpenBSD
NuttXBSDRTOSCRTOSNo
OniroEclipse, ApacheMulti-kernel (inc. add-ons, alongside custom add-ons not part of Oniro project)Various (C, C++, Rust, Cangjie)1:1, M:N, POSIXOpenHarmony3.2 LTS
OpenBSDBSDMonolithicC1:1BSD, Unix-like6.4DragonMirOS
OpenSolarisCDDLMonolithic with modulesC1:1, M:NUnixNoillumos
osFree[ru]BSD, GPL, LGPLMicrokernelC, C++, Assembly, Makefile, IGOR ProOS/2-likeNo
Plan 9MITHybridC1:1, 1:M Cothread style.own, Unix informedNoInferno, Plan B, 9front
ReactOSGPL, LGPLHybridC, C++Windows-likeNo
RedoxOSMITMicrokernelRustUnix-likeNo
RISC OSApache 2.0Monolithic (with cooperative multitasking)ARM assembly, C, BBC BASICRISC OSNoRISC OS 6
RTEMS, BSD, StanfordRTOSC and ASM with native support for other languages including C++ and AdaPOSIX, RTEID/ORKID, uITRONRTOS4.7.1
SyllableGPLHybridC, C++1:1Unix-like, BeOS, AmigaOS, POSIXNo
TempleOSpublic domainMonolithicHolyC, C, C++Commodore 64-likeNo
NameLicenseKernel typeKernel programming languageKernel thread supportOS familyOldest non-EOL versionForks

Supported architectures

Namex86, i386, IA-32x86 SMPXenIA-64x86-64PowerPCPowerPC SMPSPARC32SPARC SMPAlphaMIPSARMXScaleM68kPA-RISCOpenRISCElbrusLoongArchSuperHz/Architectureothershosted mode
LinuxYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesFR-V, Cell, ETRAX CRIS, M32R, Xtensa, h8, s390, SuperHUML, coLinux, MkLinux, ,
FreeBSDYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesNoYesYesYesNoNoNoNoYesNoNoPC98
OpenBSDYesYesNoNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesNoYesNoNoNoYesNo
NetBSDYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNoYesNoSuperH, ns32k, VAX, hppa, M68010, mipseb, mipsel, sh3eb, sh3el, sparc64
DragonFly BSDNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
OpenSolaris illumosYesYesYesNoYesNoNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYes
Darwin, OpenDarwinYesYesNoNoYesYesYesNoNoNoNoYesNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNo
OpenHarmonyYesYesNoYesYesNoNoYesYesNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNoYesNoNo
OniroNoYesNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoYesNoNo
MINIXYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
FreeDOSYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
GenodeYesYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoRISC-VLinux
HaikuYesYesNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoRISC-V
KolibriOSYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
MenuetOSYesNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
GNUYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesFR-V, Cell, ETRAX CRIS, M32R, Xtensa, h8, s390, SuperHUML,
ReactOSYesYesNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
RISC OSNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoGenode
L4, PistachioYesNoNoYesYesYesNoNoNoYesYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoGenode
Plan 9YesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoSeelguest, vx32
AROSYesNoNoNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNoYesNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNo,
SyllableYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
InfernoYes?NoNo?Yes?Yes?NoYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoAMD Am29000, Texas Instruments OMAPMicrosoft Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, Plan 9, OS X, Solaris, Irix, UnixWare, HP-UX, Internet Explorer
FreeRTOSYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesNoNoNoYesNoNoYesNoAVR, PIC, MSP430, HCS12, 8052, MicroBlaze, Cortex-M3, H8S
eCosYesYesNoNoNoYesNoYesNoNoYesYesYesYesNoYesNoNoYesNo, ColdFire, FR-V, h8, , Nios II,Microsoft Windows, Linux
RTEMSYesNoXenNoNoYesNoYesNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNoYesNoBlackfin, Nios II, Coldfire, Texas Instruments C3x/C4x, H8SLinux, Solaris, Cygwin, FreeBSD, multiple CPU simulators
HelenOSYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNo
E/OSYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
TempleOSNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoQEMU, VirtualBox, etc.
Namex86, i386, IA-32x86 SMPXenIA-64x86-64PowerPCPowerPC SMPSPARC32SPARC SMPAlphaMIPSARMXScaleM68kPA-RISCOpenRISCElbrusLoongArchSuperHz/Architectureotherhosted mode

Supported hardware

General

NameATASATASCSIUSB 3.0USB 2.0USB 1.1FireWirePCMCIA/PC cardAGPNvidia official driver IA-32Nvidia official driver IA-64Nvidia official driver AMD64ATI official driver x86ATI official driver x86-64ATI r200 free software driverATI r300 free software driverNvidia free software driverAudioTV tuner, video editing, or webcam
LinuxYesYesYesYes 2.6.31+YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes,nv(2d only), nouveau(3d with mesa)OSS, ALSAV4L,V4L2
FreeBSDYesYesYesYes 8.2+YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNoYesYesYesYesYes
OpenBSDYesYesYesYes 5.7+YesYesNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNoYes2d only2d onlyYesYes
NetBSDYesYesYesYes 8.0+YesYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNoNoYesYes
DragonFly BSDYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNoNoYes
OpenSolaris, illumosYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesNoNoYesV4L2
Darwin, OpenDarwinYesYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNoNo
OpenHarmonyYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYes
OniroYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYes
MINIXNoNoNoNoNo
FreeDOSYesYesYesNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNo
GenodeYesYesNoYesYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNo
HaikuYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYes
KolibriOSYesYesNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNo
MenuetOSYesNoNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYes
GNUYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYes
ReactOSYesYesYesYesYesNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoYes
RISC OS?YesYes?YesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesTV tuner
L4, Fiasco, PistachioNoNoNoNoNo
Plan 9YesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNoNoYesYes
AROSYesYesNoNoNoownNo2D only
SyllableYesYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNoNoYes
InfernoYesNoYesNoNoNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNoYes
FreeRTOSNoNoNoNoNo
eCosYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNoNo
RTEMSYesYesNoNoNoNoNo
HelenOSYesYesNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNo
E/OSYesYesYesNo[5]YesYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYes
NameATASATASCSIUSB 3.0USB 2.0USB 1.1FireWirePCMCIA/PC cardAGPNvidia official driver IA-32Nvidia official driver IA-64Nvidia official driver AMD64ATI official driver x86ATI official driver x86-64ATI r200 free software driverATI r300 free software driverNvidia free software driverAudioTV tuner, video editing, or webcam

Networking

NameNetworking supportNE2000/RTL8029RTL8139Gigabit Ethernet10 Gigabit EthernetWireless LANBluetoothIrDA
LinuxYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
FreeBSDYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
OpenBSDYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo
NetBSDYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
DragonFly BSDYesYesYesYesYesYes
OpenSolaris, illumosYesYesYesYesYesNoNo
Darwin, OpenDarwinYes
OpenHarmonyYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo
OniroYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo
MINIXYesYes
FreeDOSYesYesYes
GenodeYesNoNoYesNoYesNoNo
HaikuYesYesYesYesYes
KolibriOSYesYesYesNoYes
MenuetOSYesYesNoNo
GNUYes
ReactOSYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNo
L4, Fiasco, Pistachio
Plan 9YesYesYesYesYesYesNoNo
AROSYesYes
SyllableYesYesYesYes
InfernoYesYesYesYesYesNoNo
FreeRTOS
eCosYesYesYes
RTEMSYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNo
HelenOSYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNo
E/OSYesYesYesYesYesNo[6]NoNo
NameNetworking supportNE2000/RTL8029RTL8139Gigabit Ethernet10 Gigabit EthernetWireless LANBluetoothIrDA

Network technologies

NameFirewallTCP/IPIPv6IPXPPPPPPoEDHCPBridgeTUN/TAPSSHOpenVPN
Linuxnetfilter iptables/nftablesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
FreeBSDIPFW2, IPFilter, PFYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
OpenBSDPFYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
NetBSDIPFilter, NPF, PFYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
DragonFly BSDIPFW2, PFYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes
OpenSolaris, illumosIPFilterYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Darwin, OpenDarwinIPFWYesYesYesYes
OpenHarmonyYesYesNoYesNoYesNoNoNoNo
OniroYesYesNoYesNoYesNoNoNoNo
MINIXYesYes
FreeDOSYesYesYesYesYesYes
Genodesoftware IP routingYesNoNoNoYesYes
HaikuNoneYesYes[citation needed]YesYesYes
KolibriOSNoneYesNoYesNoYes
MenuetOSNoneYesNoNoNo
GNUnetfilter iptables/nftables (with Linux-libre and Linux kernel)YesYesYesYes
ReactOSYesYes[citation needed]
L4, Fiasco, Pistachio
Plan 9ipmuxYesYesNoYesYesYesYesNoYesNo
AROSYes
SyllableYesYesYesYesYes
InfernoipmuxYesYesNoYesYesYesYesNoNoNo
FreeRTOS
eCosYesYesYesYesYes
RTEMSYesNoYesYesYesYesYes
HelenOSYesYesNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNo
E/OSYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo
NameFirewallTCP/IPIPv6IPXPPPPPPoEDHCPbridgeTUN/TAPsshOpenVPN

Supported file systems

NameBcachefsBFSFAT16, dosfs; FAT32, vfatNTFSExt2Ext3XFSReiserFSUFSUFS2HFSHFS+MINIXfsISO 9660UDFNFSSMBFSRAM disk, tmpfsZFSOther special file systems
LinuxYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes9P, FUSE, sysfs, configfs, Reiser4, JFS, Btrfs, UnionFS, Ext4
FreeBSDNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesFUSE, nullfs, UnionFS
NetBSDNoNoYesYesYesNoNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesPUFFS, LFS, EFS
OpenBSDNoNoYesYesYesNoNoYesYesNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesNoAFS
DragonFly BSDNoNoYesYesYesNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesNoHAMMER, nullfs, PUFFS
OpenSolaris, illumosNoNoYesYesNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesSMB (native), QFS
Darwin, OpenDarwinNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
OpenHarmonyNoYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesEx4, F2FS, EROFS, HMDFS
OniroNoYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesEx4, F2FS, EROFS, HMDFS
MINIXNoNoYesNoYesYes
FreeDOSNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYes
GenodeNoNoYesNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNoYesNoExtensible VFS layer
HaikuNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo
KolibriOSNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
MenuetOSNoYes
GNUYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo
ReactOSNoNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNo
L4, Fiasco, PistachioNoYesNo
Plan 9NoNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNoYesYesYesNoFossil, Venti, most system services
AROSNoYesYesSFS, AFFS
SyllableNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesAFS
InfernoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNoYeskfs, most system services
FreeRTOSNoNo
eCosNoYesYesYesMMFS, ROMfs, JFFS2, YAFFS
RTEMSNoYesYesYesTarFS, TFTP FS, IMFS, miniIMFS
HelenOSNoNoYesNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesNoNoYeslocfs, exFAT
E/OSNoYesYesNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesNoYesYesYes
NameBcachefsBFSFAT16, dosfs; FAT32, vfatNTFSExt2Ext3XFSReiserFSUFSUFS2HFSHFS+MINIXfsISO 9660UDFNFSSMBFSRAM disk, tmpfsZFSOther special file systems

Supported file system features

NameRAIDquotaResource access controlencryptionother special file system features
LinuxYesYesUnix, ACL, MACYesLVM, EVMS
FreeBSDYesYesUnix, ACL, MACYesGEOM, snapshots, background fsck, user-mountable file systems
OpenBSDYesYesUnixYes
NetBSDYesYesUnix, VeriexecYesSnapshots, Journaling
DragonFly BSDYesYesUnixYesHAMMER, Snapshots, Checksumming, Deduplication
OpenSolaris, illumosYesYesUnix, ACL, MACYesSolaris Volume Manager, ZFS, snapshots, transparent data repair
Darwin, OpenDarwinYesUnix, ACLYes
OpenHarmonyNoNoRBACYesHMDFS, Access token manager
OniroNoNoRBACYesHMDFS, Access token manager
MINIXUnix
FreeDOSNo
GenodeNoNoNoNoPer-process virtual file-system layer
KolibriOSNo
MenuetOSNo
GNUUnix
ReactOSNo
L4, Fiasco, Pistachio
Plan 9NoNoUnix-like, no rootNosnapshots, venti archival storage, per-process namespace, user-mountable file systems
AROS
SyllableUnix64-bit, journaling, extended file attributes
InfernoNoNoUnix-like, no rootNoper-process namespace, user-mountable file systems
FreeRTOS
eCos
RTEMS
HelenOSNoNoNoNoNo
E/OSYesYesUnixYesNo
NameRAIDquotaResource access controlencryptionother special file system features

Security features

Operating systemMandatory access controlSoftware executable space protectionOperating system-level virtualizationVirtualisationUserspace protectionOthers
LinuxSELinux, AppArmorExec Shield, PaXChroot, namespace and cgroups, Linux-VServer, OpenVZKVMIPFilter, Iptablesgrsecurity, RSBAC
FreeBSDSeBSD, TrustedBSDProPolice/SSPjailbhyveIPFW, PF, IPFilter
DarwinSEDarwin, TrustedBSDjailIPFW
OpenBSDW^X, ProPolice/SSPvmmPF
OpenSolaris, illumosTrustedBSDSolaris ContainersKVMIPFilterRBAC
OpenHarmonyiTrustee (TEEOS)Distributed Virtual Frameworkdevice_qemuappverifyRBAC
OniroiTrustee (TEEOS)Distributed Virtual Frameworkdevice_qemuappverifyRBAC
Plan 9NoNoper-process namespaces
InfernoNoNoper-process namespaces

See also

External links