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Disambiguation

Which VelaOS is this?

The name VelaOS is used by three unrelated projects. Recent research reports have conflated them, concluding that "VelaOS is an RTOS, so it can't be used as a desktop" — which is wrong for this VelaOS. This page disambiguates, and points you at the right docs.

Three projects, one name

  • This one

    VelaOS

    VelaOS (velaos.ch) · Endpoint management platform + Linux OS

    Runs on:
    UEFI x86-64-v2 thin clients, mini-PCs, POS terminals
    What it is:
    Managed AlmaLinux 10.1 bootc with GNOME Kiosk on Wayland, Greenboot + Podman, cosign-signed app catalog (VelaApps), Go agent, Next.js console. Full desktop profile + signed openDesk bundles on the roadmap.
    Not:
    Not a real-time OS. Not an embedded RTOS. Not a Kubernetes micro-VM. Not a Xiaomi-owned project.

  • Xiaomi Vela (HyperOS Vela / XiaomiVelaOS)

    Xiaomi · Real-time OS for IoT microcontrollers

    Runs on:
    MCUs (ESP32, STM32, small wearables, smart-home hubs)
    What it is:
    A fork of Apache NuttX. Strict POSIX compliance, tiny footprint, designed for smartwatches and IoT devices. Rejects non-conforming upstream code; not a general-purpose OS.
    Not:
    Unrelated to this project despite the name collision. Cannot boot a thin client. No shared code, team, or repos.

  • simplyblock Vela

    simplyblock · Ultra-minimal micro-VM Linux for Kubernetes

    Runs on:
    Kubernetes pods, Firecracker / cloud-hypervisor micro-VMs
    What it is:
    Sub-10-second boot database micro-VMs. Buildroot-based, strips every general-purpose userland library to hit the boot time. Great for spinning up throwaway Postgres in a CI pipeline.
    Not:
    Unrelated to this project. Different team, different stack, different goals — they're optimising for machine-to-machine speed, we're optimising for managed human-facing endpoints.

Evaluating VelaOS for your fleet?

  • Start with "What is VelaOS?"— one-paragraph overview, which tracks are live, architecture summary.
  • EU public sector— positioning as the managed-endpoint layer under openDesk / La Suite Numérique.
  • What VelaOS does today— each capability and its current status.
  • Releases— current version of every component + release notes.
  • Pricing— free for up to 3 devices; $2.40 per device per month on Flex, down to $1.50 on a 5-year term.