What is this?
xv6-riscv is a re-implementation of the original Unix Version 6 (v6) operating system, rewritten in ANSI C and ported to run on modern RISC-V multiprocessors. It is used as the teaching operating system for MIT's 6.1810 operating systems course.
xv6-riscv is a re-implementation of the original Unix Version 6 (v6) operating system, rewritten in ANSI C and ported to run on modern RISC-V multiprocessors. It is used as the teaching operating system for MIT's 6.1810 operating systems course.Is this a production OS or a teaching tool?It's a small teaching OS kernel, not something meant for production use. Its main purpose is pedagogical: to show how a real Unix-like kernel works in simplified, readable code.
It's a small teaching OS kernel, not something meant for production use. Its main purpose is pedagogical: to show how a real Unix-like kernel works in simplified, readable code.How do I build and run it?After installing the required toolchain and emulator, you run a single make command to build and boot it.
After installing the required toolchain and emulator, you run a single make command to build and boot it.What tools do I need before building it?You need a RISC-V 'newlib' GCC toolchain and a QEMU build configured for the riscv64-softmmu target.
You need a RISC-V 'newlib' GCC toolchain and a QEMU build configured for the riscv64-softmmu target.Is this kernel meant to add new features to, or just study?The maintainers explicitly prioritize simplifying and clarifying existing code over adding new features, so it's better suited to study and course assignments than as a base for new OS features.
The maintainers explicitly prioritize simplifying and clarifying existing code over adding new features, so it's better suited to study and course assignments than as a base for new OS features.Does it run on real RISC-V hardware or just an emulator?The README only describes running it via QEMU (riscv64-softmmu), so the documented workflow is emulator-based rather than bare-metal hardware.
The README only describes running it via QEMU (riscv64-softmmu), so the documented workflow is emulator-based rather than bare-metal hardware.Why RISC-V instead of x86 like the original xv6?This repository is the RISC-V port of xv6, following the structure and style of Unix v6 but targeting a modern RISC-V multiprocessor architecture instead of the original PDP-11/x86.
This repository is the RISC-V port of xv6, following the structure and style of Unix v6 but targeting a modern RISC-V multiprocessor architecture instead of the original PDP-11/x86.Where did the design of xv6 come from?It's inspired by John Lions's Commentary on UNIX 6th Edition and was built by MIT researchers including Russ Cox, with many community contributors over the years.
It's inspired by John Lions's Commentary on UNIX 6th Edition and was built by MIT researchers including Russ Cox, with many community contributors over the years.What are similar projects?os-tutorial, How-to-Make-a-Computer-Operating-System, raspberry-pi-os, coursebook, interview, flash-linux0.11-talk, CS-Base, os01
os-tutorial, How-to-Make-a-Computer-Operating-System, raspberry-pi-os, coursebook, interview, flash-linux0.11-talk, CS-Base, os01Which topics is it in?operating-system, c, education, open-source
operating-system, c, education, open-source