Minix
The MINIX 3.3.0 login prompt | |
| Developer | Andrew S. Tanenbaum, et al. |
|---|---|
| Written in | C |
| OS family | Unix-like |
| Working state | Abandoned |
| Source model | Open-source |
| Initial release | 1987 |
| Latest release | 3.3.0 / 16 September 2014 |
| Latest preview | 3.4.0rc6 / 9 May 2017 |
| Repository | |
| Marketing target | Teaching (v1, v2) Embedded systems (v3) |
| Available in | English |
| Update method | Compile from source code |
| Package manager | N/A |
| Platforms | IBM PC compatibles, 68000, SPARC, Atari ST, Amiga, Macintosh, SPARCstation, Intel 386, NS32532, ARM, Inmos transputer, Intel Management Engine |
| Kernel type | Microkernel |
| Userland | BSD (NetBSD) |
| License | 2005: BSD 3-Clause 2000: BSD 3-Clause 1995: Proprietary 1987: Proprietary |
| Official website | www |
MINIX is a Unix-like operating system based on a microkernel architecture, first released in 1987 and written by American-Dutch computer scientist Andrew S. Tanenbaum. It was designed as a clone of the Unix operating system and one that could run on affordable, Intel 8086-based home computers; MINIX was targeted for use in classrooms by computer science students at universities.
Its name comes from mini-Unix. MINIX was initially proprietary source-available, but was relicensed under the BSD 3-Clause to become free and open-source in 2000. MINIX was ported to various additional platforms in the 1990s, and version 2.0 was released in 1997 and was the first to be POSIX compliant. Starting with MINIX 3, released in 2005, the primary aim of development shifted from education to the creation of a highly reliable and self-healing microkernel OS.