# Synit: an Alternative System Layer

## Welcome!

Synit is an experiment in applying the [Syndicated Actor
Model](./glossary.md#syndicated-actor-model) to the [System
Layer](./glossary.md#system-layer) of an operating system for personal
computers, including laptops, desktops, and mobile phones.

Synit builds upon the Linux kernel, but replaces many pieces of
familiar Linux software, including `systemd`, `NetworkManager`,
`D-Bus`, and so on. It makes use of many concepts that will be
familiar to Linux users, but also incorporates many ideas drawn from
programming languages and operating systems not closely connected with
Linux's Unix heritage.

It is currently **experimental** software.

 - Project homepage: <https://synit.org/>

 - Source code: <https://git.syndicate-lang.org/synit/>

## Organisation of this manual

This manual is organised into sections:

 1. Preliminaries. **[Architecture](./architecture.md)**, **[installation
    instructions](./install.md)**, and **[project glossary](./glossary.md)**.

 2. **[User and Administration Guide.](./operation/index.md)** The system handbook for Synit.

 3. **[Programming Guide and Reference.](./guide/index.md)** How to write programs for Synit.

 4. **[Specifications and Theory.](./theory/index.md)** Deeper investigation of some of the
    concepts underpinning Synit's architecture.

## Quickstart

If you have a mobile phone or computer capable of running
[PostmarketOS](https://postmarketos.org/), then you can
[install](./install.md) the software to try it out. You can also run
Synit inside a virtual machine.

See the [installation instructions](./install.md) for a list of
supported devices.

## Acknowledgements

Much initial work on Synit was made possible by a generous grant from
the [NLnet Foundation](https://nlnet.nl/) as part of the [NGI
Zero](https://nlnet.nl/NGI0/) [PET](https://nlnet.nl/PET/) programme.
Please see "[Structuring the System Layer with Dataspaces
(2021)](https://syndicate-lang.org/projects/2021/system-layer/)" for
details of the funded project.

## Copyright and License

<a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"><img
    alt="Creative Commons License"
    style="border-width:0; margin-right:0.33em; float:left;"
    src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png"></a>
This manual is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).  
Copyright © 2021–2022 Tony Garnock-Jones <tonyg@leastfixedpoint.com>.

The Synit programs and source code are separately licensed. Please see the source code for
details.