{"slug": "smolbsd", "name": "smolBSD", "category": "os", "category_name": "Operating systems and desktop", "description": "", "recommenders": 4, "commenters": 4, "warners": 0, "score": 3.681, "rising": -0.31, "first": "2025-12-07", "latest": "2026-10-23", "why": "May I recommend trying (and using) ", "why_is_quote": true, "has_verdict": false, "sentiment": {"recommend": 7, "neutral": 0, "compare": 0, "warn": 0}, "spark": [0, 1, 0, 0, 2, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1], "listed": true, "loved": [], "caveat": "", "short_quote": "May I recommend trying (and using) ", "kind": "", "icon": true, "domain": "smolbsd.org", "github_repo": null, "official_url": "https://smolbsd.org", "pricing": "", "aliases": ["smolBSD", "SmolBSD", "smolbsd"], "verdict": null, "praise": [{"label": "", "summary": "", "quotes": [{"id": 803440032, "item_id": 50215002, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50215002", "by": "Bengalilol", "date": "2026-10-23", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "May I recommend trying (and using) ", "excerpt": "May I recommend trying (and using) ()? It lets you package apps using a syntax very close to a Dockerfile. It spawns lightweight NetBSD micro-VMs that boot in just 10ms. hardware sandboxing without security trade-offs.", "context": "", "use_case": "lightweight NetBSD micro-VMs", "switched_from": "", "story": "Docker is weird"}, {"id": 786261152, "item_id": 49141322, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49141322", "by": "jaypatelani", "date": "2026-08-01", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Check out https://smolbsd.org/", "excerpt": "Check out https://smolbsd.org/", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "NetBSD 11.0 Released"}, {"id": 768742768, "item_id": 48046423, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48046423", "by": "jaypatelani", "date": "2026-05-07", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "You might like https://smolbsd.org/", "excerpt": "You might like https://smolbsd.org/", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Diskless Linux boot using ZFS, iSCSI and PXE"}, {"id": 764947424, "item_id": 47809214, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47809214", "by": "bch", "date": "2026-04-17", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "see too[0][1] for projects of a similar* vein, incl historical account.", "excerpt": "see too[0][1] for projects of a similar* vein, incl historical account. *yes, FreeBSD is specifically developed against Firecracker which is specifically avoided w \"Smol machines\", but interesting nonetheless [0] https://github.com/NetBSDfr/smolBSD [1] https://www.usenix.org/publications/loginonline/freebsd-firecracker", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Show HN: Smol machines \u2013 subsecond coldstart, portable virtual machines"}, {"id": 760051056, "item_id": 47503191, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47503191", "by": "Bengalilol", "date": "2026-03-24", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "It's a meta-OS for microVMs that boots in 10\u201315 ms.", "excerpt": "Probably on the side of your project, but did you try SmolBSD? It's a meta-OS for microVMs that boots in 10\u201315 ms. It can be dedicated to a single service (or a full OS), runs a real BSD kernel, and provides strong isolation. Overall, it fits into the \"VM is the new container\" vision. Disclaimer: I'm following iMil through his twitch streams (the developer of smolBSD and a contributor to NetBSD)", "context": "", "use_case": "Micro-VM OS for services", "switched_from": "", "story": "LiteLLM Python package compromised by supply-chain attack"}]}], "caveats": [], "who": [], "tags": [], "use_cases": ["lightweight netbsd micro-vms", "micro-vm os for services", "microvm boot on qemu"], "compared": [{"slug": "netbsd", "name": "NetBSD", "co": 3, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "tiny-core-linux", "name": "Tiny Core Linux", "co": 2, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}], "makers": [], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46173547", "title": "Tiny Core Linux: a 23 MB Linux distro with graphical desktop", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50202681", "title": "Docker is weird", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49136736", "title": "NetBSD 11.0 Released", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48045012", "title": "Diskless Linux boot using ZFS, iSCSI and PXE", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47808268", "title": "Show HN: Smol machines \u2013 subsecond coldstart, portable virtual machines", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47501729", "title": "LiteLLM Python package compromised by supply-chain attack", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {}, "2025-12": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-01": {}, "2026-02": {}, "2026-03": {"recommend": 2}, "2026-04": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-05": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-06": {}, "2026-07": {}, "2026-08": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-09": {}, "2026-10": {"recommend": 1}}, "versions": [], "version_unnamed": 0, "family_ref": null, "runs_on": null, "lines": [], "quotes": [{"id": 803440032, "item_id": 50215002, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50215002", "by": "Bengalilol", "date": "2026-10-23", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "May I recommend trying (and using) ", "excerpt": "May I recommend trying (and using) ()? It lets you package apps using a syntax very close to a Dockerfile. It spawns lightweight NetBSD micro-VMs that boot in just 10ms. hardware sandboxing without security trade-offs.", "context": "", "use_case": "lightweight NetBSD micro-VMs", "switched_from": "", "story": "Docker is weird"}, {"id": 786261152, "item_id": 49141322, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49141322", "by": "jaypatelani", "date": "2026-08-01", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Check out https://smolbsd.org/", "excerpt": "Check out https://smolbsd.org/", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "NetBSD 11.0 Released"}, {"id": 768742768, "item_id": 48046423, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48046423", "by": "jaypatelani", "date": "2026-05-07", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "You might like https://smolbsd.org/", "excerpt": "You might like https://smolbsd.org/", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Diskless Linux boot using ZFS, iSCSI and PXE"}, {"id": 764947424, "item_id": 47809214, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47809214", "by": "bch", "date": "2026-04-17", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "see too[0][1] for projects of a similar* vein, incl historical account.", "excerpt": "see too[0][1] for projects of a similar* vein, incl historical account. *yes, FreeBSD is specifically developed against Firecracker which is specifically avoided w \"Smol machines\", but interesting nonetheless [0] https://github.com/NetBSDfr/smolBSD [1] https://www.usenix.org/publications/loginonline/freebsd-firecracker", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Show HN: Smol machines \u2013 subsecond coldstart, portable virtual machines"}, {"id": 760051056, "item_id": 47503191, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47503191", "by": "Bengalilol", "date": "2026-03-24", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "It's a meta-OS for microVMs that boots in 10\u201315 ms.", "excerpt": "Probably on the side of your project, but did you try SmolBSD? It's a meta-OS for microVMs that boots in 10\u201315 ms. It can be dedicated to a single service (or a full OS), runs a real BSD kernel, and provides strong isolation. Overall, it fits into the \"VM is the new container\" vision. Disclaimer: I'm following iMil through his twitch streams (the developer of smolBSD and a contributor to NetBSD)", "context": "", "use_case": "Micro-VM OS for services", "switched_from": "", "story": "LiteLLM Python package compromised by supply-chain attack"}, {"id": 756230209, "item_id": 47264388, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47264388", "by": "lateralux", "date": "2026-03-05", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "a really fun project", "excerpt": "It\u2019s awesome to see Unix descendants still alive and active. NetBSD has been doing some really cool stuff lately, like PVH boot support. Kudos to the SmolBSD team, a really fun project that made NetBSD PVH boot support, allowing it to boot a microVM on QEMU in ~10 ms https://smolbsd.org", "context": "", "use_case": "microVM boot on QEMU", "switched_from": "", "story": "Jails for NetBSD \u2013 Kernel Enforced Isolation and Native Resource Control"}, {"id": 743042962, "item_id": 46440185, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46440185", "by": "jaypatelani", "date": "2025-12-30", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "If you liked tinycore check this one https://smolbsd.org/", "excerpt": "If you liked tinycore check this one https://smolbsd.org/", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "FediMeteo: A \u20ac4 FreeBSD VPS Became a Global Weather Service"}, {"id": 738930913, "item_id": 46183182, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46183182", "by": "jaypatelani", "date": "2025-12-07", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Check this https://smolbsd.org/#about", "excerpt": "Check this https://smolbsd.org/#about", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Tiny Core Linux: a 23 MB Linux distro with graphical desktop"}, {"id": 738930851, "item_id": 46183178, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46183178", "by": "jaypatelani", "date": "2025-12-07", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Hi check this https://smolbsd.org/#about", "excerpt": "Hi check this https://smolbsd.org/#about Also standard NetBSD ISO might not be useful do check platform specific images.", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Tiny Core Linux: a 23 MB Linux distro with graphical desktop"}]}