GNU Hurd information

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The GNU Hurd is the GNU project's replacement for the architecture-independent services provided by the Unix kernel. The Hurd is a collection of servers that run on top of a microkernel (such as Mach) to implement file systems, network protocols, file access control, and other features.

NOTE: the Hurd still lacks many of the features you would expect in a usable kernel, so please don't try using it unless you are helping us to develop it. We will announce to the world when GNU 1.0 is ready, and at that point the Hurd will be a viable alternative to Unix-like kernels such as Linux or the BSD kernel.

The current release of the Hurd is 0.2, released on June 12, 1997. See the NEWS file for a list of changes and improvements.

In addition, we have a separate distribution of the Hurd's current microkernel, derived from the "Mach 4" distributions made by the University of Utah. Our distribution is called GNU Mach, the latest version is 1.1.3. See the NEWS file for a list of changes and improvements.

Some of these links are at other web sites not maintained by the FSF.
The FSF is not responsible for the content of these other web sites.

Binary Distributions

In June 1997, we released GNU 0.2, a complete system image for PC AT compatibles with 386 or later compatible processors. This image corresponded to version 0.2 of the Hurd. Unfortunately, GNU 0.2 did not have a package management system, and so it was difficult to install and upgrade.

As of July 1998, we have joined forces with the Debian Project in order to create a new binary distribution. GNU 0.3 will look like a Debian GNU/Linux system, but will be called Debian GNU/Hurd to reflect the fact that it uses the Hurd running on Mach instead of Linux.

In the future, we plan on porting the Hurd to other kernels besides GNU Mach. One possibility would be to modify Linux so that it is capable of hosting the Hurd.

General Information

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Towards a New Strategy of OS Design.

This paper also appeared in the January 1994 GNU's Bulletin.

The GNU Hurd FAQ.

The GNU Hurd Reference Manual

(draft from a recent release).

The relationship between the Hurd and Linux.

The Debian GNU/Hurd project.

Mailing-lists are available for the Hurd:

Report Hurd bugs to bug-hurd@gnu.org.
Subscribe to the list by asking bug-hurd-request@gnu.org.
For discussion of the Hurd, use the mailing list help-hurd@gnu.org.
Subscribe to the list by asking help-hurd-request@gnu.org.

The Hurd task list.

The meaning of the name "Hurd".

A letter to Byte magazine about the GNU Hurd written by Todd Hutchinson.

Some discussion of processes migration with the Hurd.

Some of the Mach research at University of Utah is also relevant.

Several messages about the filesystem organization of the Hurd.

Where to Get it

Here are some FTP URL's for the Hurd, GNUmach, and complete GNU binary distributions.

Hurd 0.2 source
GNUmach 1.1.3 source
Xfree86-3.3.2 ported to the GNU Hurd. Here are the local details and file descriptions.
GNU 0.2 information
GNU 0.2 binary distribution
Directory of development snapshots.

Debian GNU/Hurd has not yet been released.

What if I'm having problems?

First, check the FAQ (see the pointers above.) This FAQ contains excellent advice about partition naming and many other common problems. Then try the help-hurd mailing list mentioned above.

Current and Past Announcements

These are all the announcements made over the years. Most of them were either to gnu.announce.

Release 0.2 announcement (complete GNU system)
Release 0.2 announcement (Hurd)
Test release announcement (Aug 96)
Test release status (Jul 96)
Binary image available, Apr 96: This and NetBSD boot flopies should be enough to get a working Hurd system!
New Snapshot, Apr 96 -- NFS and lots else works!
News Flash, Nov 95 -- ftp works!
New Snapshot, Jul 95 -- ext2fs support
New Snapshot, Apr 95
News flash, Nov 94
News flash, Sep 94 -- gcc runs!
News flash, Aug 94
News flash, Jul 94 -- emacs runs!
News flash, May 94
News flash, Apr 94 -- it boots!
GNU HURD announcement, Nov 93
GNU HURD announcement, May 91

Other stuff and related projects

Grub: The GRand Unified Bootloader, written by Erich Boleyn, is the standard boot loader used for the Hurd.
Lites: A free Mach single server, based on BSD 4.4 Lite. A more recent version is available from the Mach4 people (q.v.)
Mach 4.: The Hurd currently runs on top of Mach. This page documents the Utah release of Mach, from which the GNU Mach distribution came.
CMU CS Project Mach Home Page
OSF Operating Systems Collected Papers
Linux on the OSF Microkernel

Thanks to Trent Fisher for writing the initial version of this page, and to Teddy Hogeborn for the icon.

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Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium, provided this notice is preserved.

Updated: 19 Aug 1998 gord