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Codebase Overview

The Open Nexus OS repository is not a monolith.
It’s a collection of modules, organized with purpose:
simple to navigate, simple to extend, simple to build.

Structure​

  • open-nexus-os/
    • config/ — which modules to load
    • docs/ — documentation
    • LICENSE, NOTICE, README.md
    • recipes/ — our actual modules
      • gui/
        • nexus/ — window manager
        • nexus-assets/ — icons, wallpapers
        • nexus-background/ — wallpaper compositor
        • nexus-launcher/ — launcher
        • nexus-login/ — login system
      • libs/
        • libnexus/
          • themes/ — SVG icons and colors from assets
          • ui/ — UI elements
        • nexus-actionbar/ — top bar: notifications, control center
        • nexus-settingsd/ — local settings: light/dark mode, mobile/desktop
    • redox/ — Redox fork (base kernel & services)
    • scripts/ — setup, build, run

Build Flow​

The workflow is simple:

  • make initial-setup → prepare everything after cloning
  • make build → compile the system
  • make run → boot it in QEMU

Our build script copies the Nexus “recipes” into the Redox fork before building.
That means we work in our own repository, not inside Redox itself.

Why This Matters​

This separation gives us freedom.

  • We stay independent from upstream Redox, while reusing its proven kernel.
  • Our modules are self-contained recipes: easy to replace, extend, or swap.
  • Developers don’t have to learn the internals of Redox to contribute to Nexus.

In short: we inherit the strength of Redox,
without inheriting its complexity.

That’s what makes our architecture not just clean,
but future-proof.