This project and README document is in the early stage.
Welcome to the details of the MinaOS project. MinaOS is a blockchain-based operating system. Right now we're building it just for computers.
MinaOS is an operating system that works completely with zero-knowledge proofs and it's based on Mina nodes. With the Mina nodes-based system, everyone can install and use this operating system cause of the Mina chain's 22kb size. We're using the Mina nodes' benefits of small storage requirements, decentralization, and secureness. Sucereness is provided with zero-knowledge, as an information Mina is a complete zero-knowledge based chain.
If we try to explain the idea of MinaOS in an old-fashioned way we're building MinaOS as secure as MacOs, as user-friendly as Windows, and as free as Linux. Because of everything is working under the transparency of blockchain technology and the secureness of zero-knowledge technology, we're on our way to achieve the goal.
We'll have another section about the roadmap of our project but while we talking about the methods of how, we may enter into the roadmap a bit. You can find the detailed roadmap soon.
As coding languages, we're currently developing with Rust and Assembly. This can be changed during our process.
When trying to develop an operating system C, and C++ are the most common languages. So, why are we using Rust? Rust is a more common language in zero-knowledge proofs and blockchain technology rather than C or C++. You can develop some smart contracts on some chains with C and C++ but that's all. We're using Rust because it can race against others while developing an operating system but when we look for zero-knowledge and blockchain parts, Rust has more benefits for us than C or C++.
We're now trying to connect Mina smart contracts directly so right now we're not using TypeScript as a development language.
With Mina nodes, MinaOS is becoming more accessible and more decentralized. The accessible part relies on creating Mina nodes is too easy and because the Mina chain is a complete zero-knowledge based chain the 22kb size of the chain is a great benefit. If you're not familiar with what this means, when becoming a validator/creating a node in most of the chains you have to download and work with complete storage of the chains.
We can talk about the virtual machine of the project here. We'll use a virtual machine that works on/with blockchain. In Mina, the chain doesn't have a general virtual machine because the smart contracts are written in TypeScript and can interact directly with the front-end. Right now, we're planning to use another products virtual machine that works on Mina.
We're using zero-knowledge in blockchain included parts but we're also planning to use zero-knowledge in system operations. The main goal is to build a fully zero-knowledge powered product. The plan is to use zero-knowledge everywhere in the product. Even a user entering software or writing some code zero-knowledge will on the work. This could make the work time faster than traditional operating systems.
Let's talk about node parts and being a peer-to-peer operating system. What do built on Mina nodes actually mean? To be able to achieve our goals we're making some improvements to working with/on Mina nodes. Every device that uses MinaOS has to run a Mina node. While working with a blockchain system that needs some money to pay transaction fees by running a Mina node the user will earn Mina token for their contribution and that made the system work.
With being a peer-to-peer operating system we're planning to create an internet network with the devices that are using MinaOS and Mina nodes. If you watch the movie called "Nerve", when a player or a watcher enters the game they become a server for the game. With this operating system, the next step will be creating an actual internet network for Web3.
In the early stages, MinaOS will be developed on a normal virtual machine for a short time. The next improvement after creating the bone of the project will move the project to a zkVM. After these works, next will be preparing the management services for hardwares. But as we told you we're trying to build a full decentralization the last thing on MinaOS will be creating its own hardware and running on it. This unique hardware can be a solution for the peer-to-peer internet network. This hardware part will be open-sourced too. So, if you want it you can buy it or you can try to build it on your own.
There will be more information about the roadmap and future of the project will come soon.