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What is SolidOS?

SolidOS is an operating system for Solid — a modular, extensible data browser that lets users interact with data stored in Solid pods.

The Vision​

Imagine an operating system where:

  • Data is yours — stored in your personal Solid pod
  • Apps are modular — "panes" that render specific data types
  • Everything is linked — RDF/Linked Data connects it all
  • You control access — fine-grained permissions on your data

SolidOS makes this real.

What You See​

When you visit a Solid pod with SolidOS, you get an interactive data browser:

SolidOS Data Browser Interface

Try the Live Browser Demo → — Experience SolidOS in action with a fully functional data browser

Key Components​

SolidOS is built from several libraries:

ComponentPurpose
mashlibBundles everything into a deployable data browser
solid-panesCollection of panes (modular apps)
solid-uiReusable UI widgets and components
solid-logicCore business logic (auth, ACL, store)
rdflib.jsRDF processing and Linked Data

The Pane System​

The magic of SolidOS is panes — modular applications that know how to render specific data types.

When you navigate to a resource:

  1. SolidOS fetches the data
  2. It asks each pane: "Can you render this?"
  3. The most specific pane wins
  4. That pane renders the UI

Pane Selection Process

Where SolidOS Runs​

SolidOS can be deployed in multiple ways:

  • Embedded in Solid servers — solidcommunity.net uses it as the default UI
  • Standalone web app — host mashlib.js anywhere
  • Desktop app — Data Kitchen wraps it in Electron
  • Your own app — embed panes in your applications

Who Uses SolidOS?​

  • solidcommunity.net — the largest Solid pod provider
  • Inrupt's Pod Spaces — enterprise Solid deployment
  • Self-hosters — running Community Solid Server
  • Developers — building Solid applications

Next Steps​

Resources​