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Photon OS
What Photon OS is
Photon OS is a free, open-source Linux appliance operating system for cloud and edge applications. It can run on bare-metal systems, VMware ESXi hypervisors, virtual machines, Raspberry Pi devices, and public clouds. For container workloads, it can serve as a standalone host or as a base for Kubernetes nodes and clusters. The project lists ISO and OVA images, cloud images for AWS, Google Compute Engine, and Azure, and local images for x86, ARM64, and Raspberry Pi. ISO installation can be minimal or full, with direct and automated PXE/kickstart options. Photon OS uses tdnf, a yum-compatible package manager intended to keep the system small. Its security measures include a kernel guided by Kernel Self-Protection Project recommendations and packages built with hardened security flags that can be updated and verified. A real-time kernel stack is available for workloads such as virtual radio access network applications requiring very low latency. The project offers community support through GitHub and welcomes contributions. ISO and OVA images are distributed under the VMware Photon OS EULA, with open-source license information also provided.
Who it suits
Photon OS suits developers and operators building container, Kubernetes, cloud, or edge environments, as well as those needing Linux on bare metal, virtual machines, or Raspberry Pi. It is also relevant for real-time workloads that need ultra-low latency.
What it does well
- Runs on bare metal, VMware ESXi, and public clouds
- Standalone container host or Kubernetes node base
- ISO, OVA, cloud, x86, ARM64, and Raspberry Pi images
- Minimal and full ISO installation options
- Real-time kernel stack for low-latency deployments
What to know first
- Community support is provided through GitHub
- ISO and OVA images are under the VMware Photon OS EULA
- No fixed support duration is verified
Limits
Photon OS is free. The ISO and OVA images are distributed under the VMware Photon OS EULA; community support is available through GitHub.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Photon OS | Open source · ISO and OVA images distributed under VMware Photon OS EULA · community support | Free |
As vmware.github.io lists them, read 9 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit the Photon OS website.
- Choose a local image for x86, ARM64, or Raspberry Pi, or a cloud image for AWS, Google Compute Engine, or Azure.
- For ISO installation, choose a minimal or full image.
- Install directly or use the documented PXE/kickstart automated installation option.
- Use an OVA appliance where appropriate, or deploy on bare metal, VMware hypervisors, or a named cloud environment.
Verdict
Photon OS combines a small-system package manager and hardened Linux base with deployment options for containers, Kubernetes, cloud, and edge workloads. Consider its image licensing and community support model when planning an environment.
Questions
How much does Photon OS cost?
The listed Photon OS plan is free.
Is Photon OS open source?
The project describes Photon OS as open source and provides open source license information. ISO and OVA images are distributed under the VMware Photon OS EULA.
Where can Photon OS run?
It runs on bare-metal systems, VMware ESXi hypervisors, and public clouds. The project names VMware vSphere, Microsoft Azure, Google Compute Engine, and Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud as container deployment environments.
What installation and image options are available?
Downloads include ISO and OVA images, cloud images for AWS, Google Compute Engine, and Azure, and local images for x86, ARM64, and Raspberry Pi. ISO images offer minimal or full installations and support direct or PXE/kickstart automated installation.
What support does the project provide?
Community support is available through the project’s GitHub page and issues page.
Facts from Photon OS's own pages
- Cloud compatibility
- The site names VMware vSphere, Microsoft Azure, Google Compute Engine, and Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud as container deployment environments. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Containers
- It can act as a standalone container host or run cloud-scale Kubernetes nodes and clusters. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Containers and Kubernetes
- It can serve as a standalone container host or as a base for Kubernetes nodes and clusters. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Contributions
- The project welcomes community contributions and says its CLA bot guides contributors who have not signed the Contributor License Agreement. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- Photon OS can run on bare metal, VMware ESXi hypervisors, or public clouds. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Development
- The site describes Photon OS as a local or remote development environment for building modern applications. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Downloads
- The site lists local images for x86, ARM64, and Raspberry Pi, plus cloud images for AWS, GCE, and Azure. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Images
- Downloads include ISO and OVA images, plus cloud images for AWS, Google Compute Engine, and Azure; local images are available for x86, ARM64, and Raspberry Pi. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Installation options
- ISO downloads offer minimal or full installations, and the site also describes PXE/kickstart automated installation and OVA appliances. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Install options
- ISO images offer minimal or full installations and support direct installation or automated PXE/kickstart installation. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The project identifies VMware vSphere, Microsoft Azure, Google Compute Engine, and Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud as environments where Photon OS can run containers. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- License
- The site says ISO and OVA images are distributed under the VMware Photon OS EULA and links to open source license information. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Package management
- Photon OS uses tdnf, an open-source, yum-compatible package manager designed to keep the operating system small. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Photon OS is an open source, security-hardened Linux appliance operating system built for cloud and edge applications. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Real-time workloads
- Photon OS provides a real-time kernel stack for deployments such as Virtual Radio Access Network applications that need ultra-low latency. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Security
- The site says the kernel follows Kernel Self-Protection Project recommendations and packages use hardened security flags and can be updated and verified. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Support
- The project provides community support through its GitHub project page and issues page. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Virtual machines and bare metal
- It runs applications on bare metal, VMware ESXi hypervisors, and public clouds. · vmware.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
Where Photon OS stands on Freedom251
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