Thread: Java Based OS

Hey guys. So I have recently been researching java based operating systems and haven't really found a lot... I want to create one. What I need to learn how to do is the native, non-java stuff. I assume I will need to learn assembly... I was just wondering if anyone has any pointers or tutorials about this subject. A quick google search for java based operating system tutorials doesn't seem to be of much help. I will keep looking around though. I understand what I am getting myself into when I say I want to make an OS in java BUT I have lots of time to waste.

If you think of an OS like - for instance - a linux kernel which you can install on a hard drive. That's impossible. Java needs a VM and thus a basic OS. There is no way to evade these fact. But I assume that it's possible to create a java application which acts like an OS(emulator), which avails a file system, a kind of memory model, resource allocation, thread management, input and output management. I saw such things in javascript and browser based a time ago maybe. I know that javascript is not java!!! But maybe you can look into this

For these requirements you dont need to know assembly or C. The way to use both from java is tricky to impossible, anyway.
As a conclusion I suggest to learn the theoretics/basisc of OS first and to instruct yourself into linux core development.

BTW I had the idea of developing an OS in C/C++ (only for learning these basics) a few years ago, too. And I failed due to the mass of things to know and to develop. Ended in a small linux kernel withou any function. I would be VERY impressed if you achieve your targets.

well i know that it cant be 100 percent java but just look at jnode... its that kind of thing im thinking of.

You can do that but it would need to implement a basic JVM-Kernel which than can be extended using Java itself. There were some projects doing research in that topic (even SUN had a real Java OS project) but it's not that easy and would only be interesting for embedded devices. At least there are some processors directly implementing the Java Bytecode which could simplify the process of building some basic kernel but that are no "PCs" but embedded systems :-)

Here's the wikipedia article about the SUN project and there are links to some of the others:
JavaOS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Well as far as it not being easy: what is? If you ask me, most things that are even worth it are difficult... and I have plenty of time to work on it. I just need like.. not theoretical help but how to actually do it... Where should I start? I don't think there are any tutorials on java operating systems so... I have no idea where to start... when I say where to start, I mean like.. what file do I need to code first? That type of thing.

Why not start with looking at existing projects sourcecode?