Linux 6.19 · UEFI + BIOS · GPU Support · 9 Editions · x86_64 + ARM64
ꦮꦪꦁ

WayangOS

The Shadow that Powers the Machine

Ultra-minimal deployment Linux. Boot in 2 seconds, SSH ready, deploy static binaries via scp. No package manager, no systemd, no bloat.

Get Started View Source →
20MB
Bootable ISO
64MB
Minimum RAM
<2s
Boot to shell
4
Static binaries
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Named after Wayang, the ancient Javanese shadow puppet art — WayangOS is the invisible hand that controls your hardware with precision and grace. Like the dalang who commands hundreds of puppets from behind the screen, WayangOS orchestrates your hardware with total control and zero waste.

Built by the team behind

Dalang.io

dalang.io — The Dalang behind the curtain

WayangOS v0.5 — wayang:/#
# Boot with QEMU — 128MB RAM
$ qemu-system-x86_64 -cdrom wayangos-0.5-headless-x86_64.iso -m 128M
 
ꦮꦪꦁ WayangOS v0.5 ready
 
ꦮꦪꦁ WayangOS v0.5
The Shadow that Powers the Machine
 
wayang:/# uname -r
6.19.3-rt1
 
# Deploy a static binary — that's your package manager
wayang:/# scp user@dev:/app/myserver /usr/bin/
wayang:/# /usr/bin/myserver &
[1] Server listening on :8080
 
wayang:/# _

Built Different

Every feature is a conscious choice. Every byte earns its place.

⚡

Ultra-Minimal

20 MB bootable ISO. BusyBox + Dropbear SSH + curl. No systemd, no D-Bus, no polkit. 4 static binaries, zero shared libraries. UEFI + BIOS hybrid boot.

4 binaries · 20 MB · UEFI+BIOS · done
🔌

SSH + Networking on Boot

DHCP auto-configures on boot. Dropbear SSH server starts automatically on port 22. curl with TLS for pulling configs and APIs. Manage remotely from day one.

dropbear + curl + udhcpc
📦

Static Binary Deploy

No package manager. No dependency hell. Build your app as a static binary, scp it to the machine, run it. That's deployment. If it compiles, it ships.

scp is your pkg manager
🖼️

GUI Edition Available

21 MB ISO with framebuffer rendering. GUI edition boots with display drivers for kiosk apps, digital signage, and dashboards. No X11, no Wayland.

DRM/KMS + Framebuffer
🎮

GPU Support

Vendor-specific GPU drivers for Intel (i915), AMD (amdgpu), and NVIDIA (nouveau). ARM SBC support with Raspberry Pi 3 HDMI (VideoCore IV) and Orange Pi Zero 2W HDMI (Mali). Hardware-accelerated graphics out of the box.

Intel · AMD · NVIDIA · RPi3 · OPi Zero 2W
🔒

Minimal Attack Surface

4 binaries total. No unnecessary services, no listening ports except SSH. Fewer packages = fewer CVEs. The best security is code that doesn't exist.

fewer packages = fewer CVEs
🏗️

PREEMPT_RT Real-Time Kernel

Linux 6.19.3-rt1 with full real-time preemption, 1000Hz tick, and high-res timers. Deterministic scheduling for when microseconds matter. RTOS by default.

CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT=y · 1000Hz · x86_64

How It Compares

Numbers don't lie. Less is more.

MetricWayangOSAlpine LinuxUbuntu ServerDebian Minimal
ISO Size20 MB~200 MB~1.2 GB~600 MB
Min RAM64 MB128 MB512 MB256 MB
Boot Time< 2s~5s~15s~8s
Init SystemCustom (shell)OpenRCsystemdsystemd
SSH on Boot✓ Built-in✗ Install✓ Optional✗ Install
Package ManagerNone (scp)apkaptapt
GUI Edition✓ fbdev/DRM✗ Manual✓ Desktop✗ Manual
Packages4 (static)~14 (base)~300+ (base)~150+ (base)

Architectures

x86_64 and ARM64 available. RISC-V on the roadmap.

x86_64
Servers, VMs, desktops, Intel/AMD
✓ Available now
ARM64
Raspberry Pi 3, Orange Pi Zero 2W
✓ Available now (v0.6.0)
RISC-V
VisionFive, open silicon, the future
⏳ Planned
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Download WayangOS

WayangOS is available for Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, Raspberry Pi, and Orange Pi.

🔵🔴🟢🍓🍊
Choose & Download →

v0.6.0 — GPU Support · x86_64 + ARM64 · 17–35 MB

📖 Install Guide — 3 Easy Steps

No terminal skills needed. Works on any PC or laptop.

Same steps for both editions — just pick the ISO you want.

1

Download the ISO

Select your GPU/platform and grab the bootable ISO. UEFI + BIOS hybrid — works on any modern or legacy hardware.

⬇ Download Selected
2

Flash to USB drive

Use any USB flashing tool. Pick your platform:

🪟 Rufus (Windows) 🍎 balenaEtcher (Mac/Win/Linux) 💿 Ventoy (Multi-ISO)

Open the tool → Select the .iso file → Select your USB → Click Flash. Done.

3

Boot from USB

Plug the USB into your PC/laptop and restart. Press the boot menu key during startup:

F12Dell, Lenovo, most laptops F2ASUS, Acer, Samsung F9HP EscSome ASUS, other brands DelCustom desktops, motherboards

Select your USB from the boot menu → WayangOS boots to a shell in <2 seconds.

WayangOS GRUB bootloader menu

GRUB menu — auto-boots in 3 seconds

WayangOS booted with SSH ready

Booted — SSH ready, networking up

🧪 No USB? Try it in a virtual machine

qemu-system-x86_64 -cdrom wayangos-0.5-headless-x86_64.iso -m 128M

Or open the .iso in VirtualBox / VMware — it just works.

🔧 Advanced: Manual USB install with GRUB (for developers)
# Download tar.gz instead of ISO
tar xzf wayangos-0.5-headless-x86_64.iso && cd wayangos-0.5-headless-x86_64

# Partition & format USB (replace sdX)
sudo fdisk /dev/sdX
sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdX1
sudo mount /dev/sdX1 /mnt

# Install kernel + GRUB
sudo mkdir -p /mnt/boot/grub
sudo cp vmlinuz initramfs.img /mnt/boot/
sudo grub-install --target=i386-pc --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sdX
printf 'set timeout=3\nset default=0\nmenuentry "WayangOS" {\n linux /boot/vmlinuz console=tty0\n initrd /boot/initramfs.img\n}' | sudo tee /mnt/boot/grub/grub.cfg
sudo umount /mnt

Want to customize? Build from source:

🔧 WayangOS Source

Real-World Use Cases

WayangOS isn't a toy. Here's where it runs in production.

🖥️

Edge Server / Home Lab

Turn any old PC or laptop into a headless server. Boot from USB, SSH in, deploy your apps. No GUI waste, no systemd overhead.

# Deploy a Go web server
scp myapp root@wayang:/usr/bin/
ssh root@wayang '/usr/bin/myapp &'
📡

IoT Gateway

Collect sensor data, relay MQTT messages, bridge networks. Runs on 64 MB RAM — works on the cheapest SBCs.

# Pull config from API on boot
curl -s https://api.example.com/config > /etc/sensor.conf
🏪

Kiosk / Single-App Appliance

Boot straight into your application. POS terminal, digital signage, monitoring dashboard. No login screen, no desktop environment.

# Auto-start app on every boot
echo '/usr/bin/myapp &' >> /etc/init.d/rcS

See WayangOS Apps →

🔒

Network Appliance / Firewall

Minimal attack surface = maximum security. Build a custom firewall, VPN gateway, or traffic monitor.

# ~1 package installed. Good luck finding a CVE.
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 22 -j ACCEPT
⚙️

CI/CD Build Runner

Spin up disposable build environments in seconds. Boot a VM from the ISO, run your build, tear it down.

# Spin up, build, destroy
qemu-system-x86_64 -cdrom wayangos.iso -m 256M
🤖

Embedded / Lightweight Compute

5 processes at boot vs Ubuntu's 200+. Boots in under 2 seconds, uses 23 MB RAM.

# WayangOS process count vs Ubuntu
wayang: 5 processes  |  Ubuntu: 200+
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The Deployment Philosophy

No package manager. No dependency hell. No apt install.

Your "package manager" is scp. Build your app as a static binary. Copy it to the machine. Run it. That's deployment.

Every binary stands alone. No shared libraries, no version conflicts, no "works on my machine." If it compiles, it ships.

0
Dependencies
0
Package updates
0
Surprises
🛒

WayangOS Apps

Production-ready applications built for WayangOS — starting with WayangPOS, a complete touchscreen point of sale system for small businesses.

Touchscreen · Receipt printing · Stock tracking · Discounts · CSV export · Affordable hardware · No monthly fees

Learn More about WayangPOS → Browse All Apps →