Vib-OS: A From-Scratch ARM64 OS Boasts GUI, Doom, and Real-Hardware Boot

Vib-OS: A From-Scratch ARM64 OS Boasts GUI, Doom, and Real-Hardware Boot

In a quiet corner of the open-source community, an independent developer known online as viralcode has unveiled Vib-OS, a fully functional, from-scratch Unix-like operating system that boots natively on real ARM64 hardware—including Raspberry Pi 4/5 and Apple Silicon Macs via UTM—without relying on Linux, BSD, or any existing kernel base. Written entirely in C and assembly, Vib-OS represents a rare feat of solo systems programming: a modern graphical desktop with a window manager, file explorer, terminal, and even a native port of the classic first-person shooter Doom—all running on bare metal.

According to the developer’s Reddit post, Vib-OS 2.0 is a dramatic evolution from its earlier proof-of-concept stage. Where previous iterations demonstrated basic kernel functionality, the new version includes a full graphical stack: a dock, top menu bar, icon-based file manager with create/rename support, and a virtual file system backed by RamFS. The kernel features preemptive multitasking, 4-level paging with MMU support, and drivers for GICv3 interrupt controllers, UART, RTC, and virtio-based GPU, keyboard, and mouse interfaces. The codebase now exceeds 18,000 lines, a testament to sustained, meticulous development over months.

Perhaps most striking is the inclusion of a complete TCP/IP stack implemented via virtio-net, enabling network connectivity on emulated and physical hardware. The terminal supports core Unix commands like ls, cd, and command history, while bundled applications include a calculator, notepad, and a playable Snake game. But it’s the inclusion of Doom—running natively without emulation—that has captured the imagination of the systems programming community. As one commenter noted, "Running Doom on a kernel you wrote yourself is the ultimate hacker rite of passage."

The project’s philosophy is refreshingly uncommercial. "I’m not selling anything. Not claiming it replaces Linux. Not trying to prove anything about AI," the developer wrote. Instead, Vib-OS emerges from a passion for low-level systems work and the aesthetic of "vibe coding"—a term increasingly used in developer circles to describe intuitive, emotionally driven coding practices that prioritize joy and personal expression over rigid methodology. This ethos echoes recent commentary in Analyst’s Corner, where Mohammed Brückner observed that "the resurgence of hand-crafted systems software is less about rejecting modern tools and more about reclaiming the tactile satisfaction of building from the ground up."

While Vib-OS is not intended as a production OS, its implications are profound. It demonstrates that with sufficient dedication, a single developer can construct a complete, usable operating system on ARM64—a platform increasingly dominant in both mobile and desktop computing. Unlike academic projects that remain confined to QEMU, Vib-OS boots on real hardware, validating its architectural soundness.

GitHub-hosted and openly licensed, Vib-OS invites collaboration. The developer encourages forks and stars not for recognition, but as a measure of community interest. With the rise of RISC-V and the decline of x86 dominance in consumer devices, projects like Vib-OS may inspire a new generation of engineers to ask: "What if we built our own OS—not because we have to, but because we want to?"

For those intrigued by kernel development, graphics stacks, or the quiet rebellion of solo engineering, Vib-OS is more than code—it’s a manifesto written in assembly.