AN INDEPENDENT OPERATING SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY

Small at the core.
Powerful by design.

Symobi is a modular, full-featured operating system built around a true microkernel. Created for technical applications and purpose-built devices that need to work across hardware architectures — with or without a host OS.

Explore Symobi Technical specifications
OPEN TO INDEPENDENT CUSTOMER PROJECTS
01 /
True microkernelOnly essentials in kernel mode.
02 /
Hosted or nativeOne foundation, different environments.
03 /
Made to moveAcross x86, x64 and ARM platforms.
02 / THE ARCHITECTURE

Different.
By design.

What if an operating system didn't need to put almost everything inside its kernel?

The kernel is the privileged heart of an OS. Symobi keeps that heart intentionally small — moving drivers, services and other functionality into separate user-mode components.

CONVENTIONAL APPROACHSCHEMATIC

More inside
the kernel.

USER MODE
Application AApplication B
KERNEL MODE
DriversFile systemsNetworkingCore kernel
HARDWARE

In a typical monolithic design, many operating system functions execute with kernel privileges.

THE SYMOBI APPROACHTRUE MICROKERNEL

The essentials.
Nothing more.

USER MODE
AppsServicesDriversStacks
MINIMAL PRIVILEGED MICROKERNEL
NANOKERNEL / SYSTEM ABSTRACTION
HARDWARE

In Symobi, drivers, system services and applications execute in user mode — outside the privileged microkernel.

Diagrams are simplified architectural illustrations.

“The difference isn't the number of features.
It's where those features run.”

01 — ABSTRACTION

Nanokernel

Separates processor- and platform-specific details from the rest of the system, helping Symobi move between hardware architectures.

02 — FOUNDATION

Microkernel

Keeps privileged execution focused on essential system mechanisms, rather than becoming a home for every OS feature.

03 — CAPABILITIES

User-mode components

Drivers, services, protocol stacks and applications provide the breadth of the operating system as separate components.

03 / WHY IT MATTERS

Built for
possibilities.

Architecture is more than an engineering preference. It's what your product can do — now, and when its requirements change.

01 / CROSS-ENVIRONMENT TOOLS

One application.
Different environments.

Give technical tools a consistent system foundation — whether they run within a supported host or directly on hardware.

02 / PLATFORM FLEXIBILITY

x86 today.
ARM tomorrow.

Keep your software architecture as hardware needs evolve. Symobi helps reduce the impact of moving between processor families.

03 / COMPACT APPLIANCES

Everything you need.
Nothing you don't.

Build compact, purpose-built systems without giving up processes, threads, networking or a broad native feature set.

04 / MODULAR SYSTEMS

Separate by design.
Extend by choice.

Keep system components outside the privileged kernel. Shape the OS around your product instead of shaping your product around an OS.

*16 MB applies to specially tailored configurations with reduced drivers and services.
04 / SCALABILITY & PORTABILITY

One foundation.
Many environments.

From carefully tailored embedded systems to multicore machines with extensive memory and I/O — on a common architectural foundation.

16 MBStarting RAM*
4Active processor families
32Effectively utilized CPU threads**
2Execution environments

Processor architectures

ACTIVELY SUPPORTED
x8632 BIT
x6464 BIT
ARM32ARMv5+
ARM64ARMv8+
PowerPC / legacy RISC-V / in development
TWO WAYS TO RUN

With a host.
Without one.

Symobi can operate within supported Windows and Linux host environments through its integrated user-mode VM, or run natively on suitable hardware.

That means a project can target different deployment environments while retaining a common Symobi-based software architecture.

Portability may require platform-specific builds, integration and driver validation.

APPLICATIONS / SERVICESUSER MODE
SYMOBI OPERATING SYSTEMMICROKERNEL + USER MODE COMPONENTS
WINDOWS / LINUX HOSTUSER-MODE VM
HARDWAREHOST PLATFORM

Hosted operation: Symobi runs within a supported Windows or Linux environment.

*Customized, reduced-function configurations. **Practical concurrent CPU / hardware-thread utilization; systems with higher counts are supported. Maximum memory depends on the architecture and system configuration.

05 / NATIVE CAPABILITIES

A complete OS.
Not just a kernel.

Small at its foundation. Extensive in what it can do.

Symobi combines independent processes and multithreading with native hardware drivers, file systems, communications and user interfaces.

INTERFACE OPTIONS

Graphical.
Command line.
Fully connected.

Symobi offers a native graphical environment with an optional component system, alongside a complete CLI configuration.

Unusually, the CLI variant also supports remote-screen capabilities — giving purpose-built tools flexible ways to be operated locally or remotely.

GUICLIREMOTE SCREENMULTITHREADING

Networks & communication

Native IP networking, Ethernet up to 10G, USB, HID, Bluetooth HID and file-transfer protocols.

Storage & file systems

SATA, SAS, NVMe, UFS, eMMC and more — with native support for a wide range of file systems.

Remote by design

Remote GUI and CLI access, VNC, browser-based noVNC and connections using hole punching or TURN.

Integrated online storage

Remote storage is integrated like a file system, rather than treated only as an upload or download destination.

06 / TECHNICAL REFERENCE

Under
the hood.

The detail behind the design.

Explore the currently documented architecture, processor support, native drivers, protocols and interfaces. Select a category to expand it.

TECHNICAL OVERVIEW
01System architecture10 PROPERTIES
DesignStrict microkernel architecture
System abstractionNanokernel
Privileged executionOnly essential microkernel code
Drivers & system servicesUser mode
ApplicationsUser mode
Isolation modelSeparate processes
ConcurrencyMultithreading; multicore CPUs and hardware threads
Graphical interfaceNative GUI; optional component system
Command lineFull CLI configuration, including remote-screen support
Architectural characteristicsMinimal privileged core; user-mode components; exokernel-like design elements
02Processors & scalability9 PROPERTIES
x86Intel Pentium Pro class and newer SUPPORTED
x6464-bit-capable AMD Athlon / Intel Pentium 4 class and newer SUPPORTED
ARM32ARMv5 architecture and newer SUPPORTED
ARM64ARMv8 architecture and newer SUPPORTED
PowerPCG2 class and newer LEGACY
RISC-VSupport in development IN DEVELOPMENT
Minimum RAMFrom 16 MB in specially customized configurations
CPU scalabilityUp to 32 effectively utilized CPUs / hardware threads; larger systems accepted
Memory scalabilityNo additional low Symobi-specific limit; bounded by platform architecture and configuration
03Multi-host user-mode VM4 PROPERTIES
Execution modesNative hardware execution / integrated user-mode VM
WindowsFrom Windows XP (supported host configurations)
Windows ServerFrom Windows Server 2003 (supported host configurations)
LinuxSupported host configurations
04Native protocol stacks8 CATEGORIES
USBNative USB stack
Human interfaceHID
BluetoothBluetooth HID
NetworkingIP network stack
Mobile device connectivityPPPoE for iOS / Android TERMINOLOGY TO VERIFY
File transferFTP / SFTP client
Network filesSMB client
Remote desktopVNC server and client
05Native hardware drivers10 GROUPS
Ethernet10 / 100 / 1000 Mbit/s; 2.5G; 5G; 10G
ATA / SATAIDE; SATA (AHCI)
USB generationsUSB 1.1 / 2.0 / 3.0 / 3.1; USB4
USB controllersUHCI, OHCI, EHCI, XHCI
FireWireNative FireWire support GENERATIONS TO VERIFY
Legacy interfacesPS/2
Embedded I/OUART; I²C
Enterprise storageSCSI / SAS
Modern storageNVMe; UFS
Embedded & removable storageeMMC; SD / MMC
06Native file systems10 FILE SYSTEMS
MICROSOFT ECOSYSTEM
FATNTFSexFATReFS
LINUX / UNIX
ExtXFSZFSBtrfs
APPLE ECOSYSTEM
HFS+APFS

Specific read/write/format capabilities depend on the file system and configuration; ask about a target use case.

07Remote access & online features6 CAPABILITIES
Remote desktopSupported
Remote CLI / GUISupported
NAT traversalHole punching
Relay connectivityTURN
Browser accessWebVNC / noVNC
Online storageIntegrated at the file-system level (not upload-only)
IMPORTANT NOTE

Availability and capabilities can vary by processor architecture, hardware platform, OS configuration and project requirements. This preliminary overview is subject to technical confirmation for specific targets.

07 / BUILD ON SYMOBI

Have something
different in mind?

Building a technical application, an embedded device or a dedicated appliance? Let's explore whether Symobi can be the right foundation for your project.

Discuss your project