New OS aims to provide (some) compatibility with macOS

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

The three most prevalent themes in the discussion regarding the ravynOS project are:

1. Motivation: Desire for a Free/Open macOS-like Experience

Many users express interest in the project as a way to obtain the perceived high-quality user experience and consistency of macOS without being locked into Apple's closed ecosystem, hardware limitations, or evolving business practices.

Quotation: "\"We love macOS, but we’re not a fan of the ever-closing hardware and ecosystem. So, we are creating ravynOS — an OS aimed to provide the finesse of macOS with the freedom of FreeBSD.\"" (linguae, quoting the project philosophy)
Quotation: "I’ve been running macOS most of my life... I could spend far less time messing with things and instead rely on system defaults and first party apps... It would be awesome using what is essentially a community-driven clone of macOS, where I could continue using a Mac-like operating system without needing to worry about Apple's future directions." (adastra22)

2. Comparison to Linux Desktop Usability and Consistency

A recurring subplot contrasts the perceived inconsistency, fragmentation, and complexity of the Linux desktop environment (userland) with the unified, opinionated user experience offered by macOS, which is the primary draw for many supporters of ravynOS.

Quotation: "I would much rather emulate linux apps on a more stable and consistent OS than vice versa. The sheer number of toolkits and window managers leaves my head spinning, and unifying their behavior even before you can begin to improve it feels like a nightmare." (MangoToupe)
Quotation: "To me the screenshots look like someone tried to replicate macOS but failed. The text antialiasing is off, the font is different (and worse), the border-radii on menus are off, etc." (niek_pas, contrasting the perceived quality of the clone with the original target)

3. The Technical Challenge of Binary Compatibility and Project Velocity

Users recognize that achieving macOS compatibility is an enormous undertaking, especially given Apple's rapid evolution of frameworks. Discussions often veer into comparing ravynOS's approach (BSD base vs. Darwin kernel) with existing compatibility layers like Wine/Darling, and noting the slow pace of development typical for ambitious reimplementation projects.

Quotation: "This has been a slow going effort for a few years now, it's not 'new'." (Klonoar)
Quotation: "Apple regularly deprecates frameworks and adds new ones at rapid rates. It's a moving target with the added complication of moving build targets." (heavyset_go)
Quotation: "It would be nice to have a FOSS clone of macOS, similar to how FreeDOS, ReactOS, and Haiku are FOSS clones of MS-DOS, Windows, and BeOS, respectively. The only thing is that this project has been quite slow going..." (linguae)

🚀 Project Ideas

Project 1: Consistent macOS UX Component Library for Linux Desktops (Emulate Opinionated Defaults)

Summary

A cross-desktop UI/UX library (similar to Qt/GTK but focused on macOS aesthetic consistency) that Linux desktop environments (KDE, GNOME, etc.) can optionally adopt or build upon.
Solves the "inconsistent and underwhelming results" and "death by a thousand papercuts" mentioned by users frustrated with Linux desktop fragmentation and UI inconsistencies, without trying to clone the entire OS.

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Linux Desktop Enthusiasts, KDE/GNOME developers seeking high consistency.
Core Feature	A unified set of high-quality, opinionated UI components (e.g., window chrome, consistent control placement, menu bar behavior, superior font rendering handling, advanced trackpad gesture translation) that mimic macOS's polish and progressive disclosure philosophy.
Tech Stack	C++/Rust targeting major compositor backends (Wayland/X11). Initial focus on providing implementations for Qt/GTK toolkits.
Difficulty	High
Monetization	Hobby

Notes

HN commenters express a strong desire for macOS's "finesse," "usability," and "highly opinionated, and those opinions were very consistently applied, resulting in a highly predictable interface" (simondotau, adastra22).
This project directly addresses the feeling that Linux UX feels "rushed" or "crowd sourced" (daniel_iversen, MangoToupe) by providing a stable, polished aesthetic layer that users can actively choose to adopt without migrating to a completely new environment.

Project 2: macOS Core Utility Compatibility Layer for FreeBSD (macOS "Just Works" Tools Port)

Summary

A targeted compatibility layer focused purely on porting and reimplementing the core utility and application functionality that users specifically miss from macOS, leveraging existing open-source efforts where possible.
Focuses on providing reliable, well-integrated versions of proprietary Apple applications that users praise (forgetfulness, cosmic_cheese).

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Users running BSD/Linux who miss specific high-quality Apple first-party apps (e.g., Mail, Notes, Reminders, Preview/QuickLook).
Core Feature	A collection of native FreeBSD applications or dynamic libraries that replicate the precise functionality, integration, and synchronization model of key macOS utilities (e.g., building a ZFS-snapshot integrated 'Time Machine' replacement; a Mail.app clone focusing on flawless IMAP/Calendar integration).
Tech Stack	Rust/C++ for native performance on FreeBSD, leveraging existing OpenStep/GNUstep compatibility layers (like Darling code mentioned in the discussion) for frameworks, but focusing implementation on user-facing apps rather than the OS core.
Difficulty	Medium
Monetization	Hobby

Notes

Users specifically cite Apple's bundled apps like Notes, Reminders, and Apple Mail as reasons they remain on macOS due to superior integration and usability (forgetfulness, RussianCow, cosmic_cheese).
By targeting specific applications rather than binary compatibility of the entire OS, this avoids the complexity of rebuilding XNU or Cocoa entirely, offering immediate utility to users seeking the features without the "closed ecosystem."

Project 3: Headless macOS Build Environment Utility for Server/CI Usage

Summary

A utility/toolchain built on an open-source macOS foundation (like PureDarwin/FreeBSD) that focuses exclusively on providing a stable, easily managed, and highly scriptable environment for compiling and testing macOS/iOS software without a GUI or traditional desktop management overhead.
Caters to the need for open-source macOS infrastructure capable of handling modern development workflows involving Apple's evolving framework landscape.

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Developers who use macOS primarily as a build server (CI/CD) or for server deployment but are restricted by Apple's increasing complexity in headless/server configurations.
Core Feature	Automated deployment and snapshotting of a minimal, server-oriented macOS-like environment (using Mach-O compatibility or a direct Darwin fork), focused on reliably running the full Xcode command-line suite and associated tooling.
Tech Stack	Focus on scripting and virtualization (KVM emulation if necessary to test driver paths), built on a stable base like FreeBSD or an accelerated PureDarwin fork.
Difficulty	High
Monetization	Hobby

Notes

One user mentioned wanting this for "macOS build machines, and servers," noting that recent OS changes have made macOS "harder and harder to deploy headlessly" (steeleduncan).
By focusing on the "server/build machine" use case where compatibility with frameworks migrating quickly is crucial, this offers a valuable niche product that embraces the complexity of Apple's moving target for professional developers lacking hardware freedom.