The openKylin immutable system, developed by the community' s UpdateManager SIG using OStree technology, aims to provide users with a more stable, secure, and efficient immutable system architecture.

1. What is an Immutable System?

An immutable system is an operating system that is unchangeable and read-only, meaning users or applications cannot directly modify core files and directories of the running system. Instead, system updates and upgrades are achieved through atomic updates, allowing for quick rollbacks in case of update failures. This ensures the system does not enter an abnormal state. Applications are isolated from the core operating system using container technology, which guarantees that changes made by one application do not affect the core system.

The openKylin immutable system explores this next-generation architecture using OStree technology. OStree is a version control system for operating systems, akin to Git, designed for versioning the entire operating system file system tree. OStree allows users to manage the versioning of the entire operating system, including the kernel, libraries, binaries, and configuration files, making system upgrades and rollbacks much easier. A key feature of OStree technology is its immutability. It treats the entire operating system as an immutable file system tree, where each version is viewed as a branch of this immutable file system.

2. Technical Advantages of the openKylin Immutable System

●  Robust Stability: With OStree technology, the openKylin immutable system achieves architectural immutability, ensuring that every system update is a risk-free, atomic operation. This significantly reduces the likelihood of issues during system operation, providing users with enhanced stability.

●  Secure and Reliable: The architecture of the openKylin immutable system effectively counters threats from malware and system vulnerabilities, providing a solid safeguard for user data and privacy, and greatly enhancing system security.

●  Application Isolation: Containerization technology is employed to isolate applications from the core operating system, ensuring that any changes made by an application do not impact the core system or other applications.

In summary, the openKylin immutable system, based on OStree, ensures the core system remains unchanged, delivering a more stable and secure experience for users.