- Published on
A QNX-inspired operating system with selectable kernels
- Authors
- Name
- DeepHorus
The open-source community received a significant milestone in June 2026 with the release of QSOE 0.1, a QNX-inspired operating system that offers a unique selectable-kernel architecture. Developed by a team of enthusiasts and researchers, QSOE marks the first public release of a unified two-kernel system designed for versatility in embedded and real-time environments. The project aims to combine the robustness of microkernel design with the flexibility of choice, allowing users to switch between kernels without altering the userspace.
QSOE draws its design philosophy from the QNX Neutrino real-time operating system, known for its microkernel, synchronous message-passing IPC, and resource-manager model. The operating system ships in two variants that share a common userspace and build system. QSOE/N runs on Skimmer, a new microkernel written specifically for this project with symmetric multiprocessing support, while QSOE/L operates on the well-established seL4 kernel. This approach allows developers to leverage seL4’s formal verification or Skimmer’s tailored design for specific performance needs.
The release provides compiled kernel and initrd files, with the userspace being 100% identical across both variants. Only the task manager and C library differ at a thin kernel-interface layer, with approximately 85% of the library source code shared. QSOE targets 64-bit RISC-V architecture, specifically the SiFive HiFive Unmatched board (FU740), and supports QEMU for development. Pre-built binaries and source code are available under the Apache-2.0 license from the project’s GitHub repository.
Key technical details include a bootloader called mr-bml, which drives a boot menu on real hardware. The release includes ready-to-run disk images for QEMU, such as nvme.img.gz, which boots directly to the mr-bml menu. For QSOE/L under QEMU, a companion virtio disk is provided due to seL4’s interrupt controller requirements. The project provides a launcher script, run-nvme.sh, to simplify testing.
The implications of QSOE are significant for the embedded systems and microkernel communities. By offering a unified userspace across two distinct kernels, it reduces development overhead and eases transition between kernel choices. This could accelerate adoption of microkernels in safety-critical and high-assurance applications, especially on RISC-V platforms. The project’s open-source nature encourages collaboration and experimentation.
Early reactions from technical observers highlight the novelty of selectable kernels and the focus on RISC-V, an architecture gaining traction in open-source hardware. The QSOE team has emphasized that the release is a foundation for further work, with plans to improve hardware support and possibly extend to other architectures. The inclusion of seL4, a kernel with formal verification, adds credibility for mission-critical deployments.
Looking ahead, QSOE aims to refine its feature set and expand compatibility. The developers have indicated potential support for 32-bit RISC-V and other platforms. As microkernel designs gain interest in cloud and IoT sectors, QSOE’s modular approach could serve as a testbed for new ideas. With its first public release, QSOE invites the community to explore and contribute to this innovative operating system.
