![Null Linux; Linux that fits in /dev/null/](https://files.spectoria.dev/null-linux/Null%20Linux.png)

# _Null Linux_ is a [Linux distribution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_distribution) that aims to be the Linux distribution with the lowest ram consumption that can still run a Graphical User Interface (GUI).

_Null Linux_ attempts to accomplish the goal of fitting a functional GUI within **32 Megabytes** of memory, by using extremely small and hand-made software made by the Null Linux Project Contributors.

_Null Linux_ is a natural successor of [TinyCore](http://www.tinycorelinux.net/) Linux.

Some pieces of software Null Linux attempts to modify _(under correct licensing)_ or create to have the lowest memory allocations and usage possible:

- Several Patches to the [Linux Kernel](https://kernel.org)
- Fork of [TWM](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twm)
- Custom Made LIBC Implementation.
- A built from scratch, [POSIX](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POSIX) Compliant Coreutils implementation
- Made-from-scratch shell similar to POSIX DASH
- A hand-rolled [DRM](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_Rendering_Manager) wrapper library.
- Stripped Down version of the [runit](https://smarden.org/runit/) [init/PID1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Init)

# Project Guidelines

1. **C17, and only C17.** All Null Linux created or modified software will be in C17. If the project uses compiler-specific extensions, you must force a single C17-compatible compiler in the build system with no fallback.

2. **Autotools or Makefile, nothing else.** All C projects can use either the GNU Autotools build system or a hand-created GNU Makefile. CMake, Meson, or any other build system is strictly not permitted.

3. **AI drafts, humans ship.** The use of Artificial Intelligence IS permitted, but should be manually reviewed by living breathing _Homo sapiens sapiens_. AI work should be the **draft**, not the finished product.

4. **Repository structure.** Every repository must follow a loose structure, but must remain similar to:

```
include/              Your headers. Headers do not mix with implementations.
src/                  Said implementations.
Makefile              Or configure.ac + Makefile.am (autogen.sh is required for autotools).
bin/{release,debug}   Debugging should be in the workflow. Nothing is bug free. Release is
                      ALWAYS -Os (or z) or -O1, unless you give a damn good reason why it isn't.
                      Examples include: compiler bugs, breaking optimizations.
benchmarks/           You MUST benchmark your software. If it isn't memory-lean, it's not
                      going in Null Linux. Benchmarks can be done any way, but should have
                      a developer-eased abstraction. Examples: make bench.
README.md             You should be introducing your software.
docs/                 Very important. People should be able to know what your software is
                      doing without looking at optimized C code.
CONTRIBUTING.md       People should know how to help you.
-STYLEGUIDE.md-       Optional.
compile_commands.json Nobody likes their LSP. Nobody likes it more to be yelled at 24/7 for
                      100% good code.
.clangd               Who doesn't do this?
.clang-format         Make your code look pretty for the love of christ.
.clang-tidy           If nobody likes the LSP, everybody despises the linter.
thirdparty/           If you use external libraries, you WILL be vendoring them. Dependency
                      hell should not be a problem, and yet a 50 year old language still
                      hasn't figured it out.
```

5. **Be very lean on RAM usage.** Null Linux is trying to minimize memory usage to the extreme, so nobody is benefitting from your "neat abstraction".

6. **The kernel is yours. LibC is nice. A little TOO nice.** If it's small, if it's lean, you have ZERO reason to link with libC at ALL. Linux specific syscalls can do you well.