akernel / macOS / Linux VM
Build steps/macOS with a Linux VM

MACOS · UBUNTU VIRTUAL MACHINE

Build on macOS

Build in an isolated x86-64 Ubuntu guest with the ELF tools this project expects.

!

Apple's native toolchain produces Mach-O files, not the ELF targets used here. Use an x86-64 Ubuntu guest to build and boot-test the Limine ISO. On Apple Silicon, x86-64 emulation may run more slowly than a native ARM guest.

01 — CREATE A LINUX GUEST

Prepare an isolated VM

  1. 01

    Install a desktop hypervisor that supports an x86-64 Ubuntu guest (for example, UTM with x86-64 emulation on Apple Silicon, or an x86-64 virtualization option on Intel Macs).

  2. 02

    Create a fresh Ubuntu 24.04 LTS x86-64 VM with a 20 GB or larger virtual disk, 2 CPU cores, and at least 2 GB RAM. Do not attach a physical Mac disk.

  3. 03

    Install Ubuntu in the virtual disk, boot into the guest, and take a VM snapshot before ISO testing.

02 — BUILD IN UBUNTU

Install tools and compile

Open a terminal inside the Ubuntu guest and run:

UBUNTU · VM GUESTbuild both architectures
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y build-essential gcc-multilib binutils nasm git file curl xorriso zip unzip qemu-system-x86
git clone https://github.com/oysterzarskyy/akernel.git
cd akernel
make
make CC=gcc iso-zip
make run-qemu

The default branch builds the 1.2.1.067 AASH nightly prerelease. Stable 1.2.1 remains available separately from the repository's GitHub releases.

03 — INSPECT

Verify the ELF outputs

UBUNTU · VM GUESToutput checks
file build/x86/kernel.elf build/x86_64/kernel.elf
readelf -h build/x86/kernel.elf
readelf -h build/x86_64/kernel.elf

The ISO boots the x86-64 kernel through Limine inside QEMU. It is a VM test image, not an installer. Do not attach a physical Mac disk or attempt to replace macOS.