What is templeos?

TempleOS is a complete, self-contained operating system built entirely from scratch by a single programmer named Terry Davis. The README explains that TempleOS must be booted from a CD, DVD, or a virtual machine pointed at the ISO image, because the files inside are compressed and the source code can only be compiled by TempleOS's own built-in compiler. There is no installer that runs on another operating system. The system is 64-bit only and requires at least 512 megabytes of RAM. The README warns that on some hardware the user may need to manually enter I/O port addresses for the CD or DVD drive and the hard drive during setup. This level of manual configuration reflects the close-to-the-hardware design of the system, which deliberately avoids the abstraction layers found in mainstream operating systems. TempleOS has its own programming language called HolyC, a modified version of C. All source code for the operating system is included in the distribution and is entirely open source. The repository description refers to it as the final snapshot of the Third Temple. The system is not designed for everyday use or as a foundation for other projects. It is an unusual technical artifact: a fully working operating system written by one person in a custom language, complete with its own shell, graphics, file system, and compiler. The README does not provide instructions beyond getting the ISO booted, as everything else must be done from within the running TempleOS environment.