SamwiseOS – A web-based, AI-first OS with a Python kernel in Pyodide
For the past few months, I've poured all my energy into building something I'm incredibly passionate about: SamwiseOS, a completely in-browser, AI-first operating system. What is it? SamwiseOS is a persistent, single-page web app that looks and feels like a real operating system, complete with a terminal, a robust virtual filesystem (that saves to your browser's IndexedDB), user/group management, and even graphical applications. The twist? The entire core logic—filesystem, command execution, user management, everything—runs on a Python kernel powered by Pyodide (WebAssembly). The JS…
What it does
In the maker’s words, at launch
For the past few months, I've poured all my energy into building something I'm incredibly passionate about: SamwiseOS, a completely in-browser, AI-first operating system. What is it? SamwiseOS is a persistent, single-page web app that looks and feels like a real operating system, complete with a terminal, a robust virtual filesystem (that saves to your browser's IndexedDB), user/group management, and even graphical applications. The twist? The entire core logic—filesystem, command execution, user management, everything—runs on a Python kernel powered by Pyodide (WebAssembly). The JS frontend acts as a "Stage Manager," handling the UI, sound, and other browser APIs, while the Python kernel is the single source of truth. They talk to each other through a simple effect contract, which is a fancy way of saying they're best friends who communicate really, really well. Why did I build this? I wanted to explore what a truly AI-first OS would feel like. Instead of just a command line, you can interact with SamwiseOS through conversation. The gemini command can use system tools to answer questions about your files, forge can generate code for you, and storyboard can analyze a whole directory of code and tell you what it does. It’s like having a brilliant, tireless intern who lives in your browser. It’s the civil servant of operating systems – for the people, by the people (and AI). Features I'm especially proud of: Hybrid Kernel: A robust, sandboxed Python kernel running in WASM, with a nimble JavaScript frontend. It's the best of both worlds! AI-Powered Shell: Use commands like gemini, chidi, and forge to interact with the OS using natural language. 100+ POSIX-like Commands: We've got everything from ls, grep, and awk to sudo, chmod, and useradd. It's a real, functional environment. GUI Apps: It's not just a terminal! Use edit for a text/code editor, paint for an ASCII art editor, top for a process viewer, chidi to analyze documents, and even adventure to play text-based games. Persistence: Your session, files, users, and command history are all saved in IndexedDB, so you can pick up right where you left off. Multi-User & Permissions: A full-fledged user and group system, including a virtual /etc/sudoers file and sudo capabilities. The project is entirely self-contained and runs offline. I've had an absolute blast building this, and I'm bursting with ideas for the future (check out the roadmap in the README!). I would be honored if you'd take a look, poke around the filesystem, and let me know what you think.
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