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BoredOS Versioning

BoredOS uses two independent version numbers: one for the OS release and one for the kernel. They evolve at different rates and follow different conventions.

OS Version

The OS version follows a date-based scheme:

YY.M[.x]
Component Meaning
YY Two-digit year (e.g. 26 for 2026)
M Month number, no leading zero (e.g. 4 for April, 12 for December)
.x Optional patch identifier — a small sequential integer that has no relation to a specific day

Examples

Version Meaning
26.4 Base release for April 2026
26.5 Base release for May 2026
26.5.1 First patch on top of the May 2026 release
26.5.2 Second patch on top of the May 2026 release
26.12 Base release for December 2026

Rules

  • The base release (YY.M) is cut once per month when a milestone is ready.
  • Patch releases (YY.M.x) are issued for fixes or smaller additions that land between two monthly milestones. The .x counter starts at 1 and increments sequentially — it is not tied to a calendar day.
  • A -dev or -rc suffix may be appended to any version string during active development (e.g. 26.5-dev, 26.5.1-rc1).
  • The version string is defined in src/core/version.c as os_version.

Kernel Version

The kernel version follows Semantic Versioning:

MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH
Component When to increment
MAJOR A breaking or fundamentally large architectural change (e.g. rewriting the syscall layer, introducing a new memory model)
MINOR A meaningful new feature or a notable internal improvement that does not break existing interfaces
PATCH A small fix, refactor, or incremental improvement

Examples

Transition Reason
4.2.0 → 5.0.0 Major kernel rework (e.g. full syscall dispatch-table refactor, new scheduler)
4.2.0 → 4.3.0 New subsystem or feature addition (e.g. adding Lua runtime, new VFS driver)
4.2.0 → 4.2.1 Small fix or minor tweak (e.g. PIT calibration fix, terminal newline correction)

Rules

  • When MAJOR is bumped, MINOR and PATCH reset to 0.
  • When MINOR is bumped, PATCH resets to 0.
  • A -dev suffix may be appended during active development (e.g. 5.0.0-dev).
  • The version string is defined in src/core/version.c as kernel_version.

Where Versions Are Declared

Both version strings live in a single file:

// src/core/version.c

const char *os_version     = "26.5-dev";
const char *kernel_version = "4.2.0-dev";

When cutting a release, update both strings, remove the -dev suffix, tag the commit (git tag v26.5), and then immediately bump to the next -dev version.

Codename

Each release may carry an informal codename. A single word that gives the release a human-friendly identity. Codenames are stored in src/core/version.c as os_codename and exposed to userspace via the get_os_info syscall.

Convention

  • Codenames generally change with each monthly base release (YY.M), but this is not a hard rule. A codename may carry over into the next month if the release feels like a natural continuation of the previous one.
  • Patch releases (YY.M.x) always keep the same codename as the base release they belong to.
  • There is no enforced theme, but names tend to be short, memorable single words.

Examples

OS Version Codename
26.4 Voyager
26.5 Genesis

Where It Is Declared

// src/core/version.c

const char *os_codename = "Genesis";