FTL: A new operating system for clouds
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
FTL is a new cloud OS that runs containers as userspace library operating systems.
FTL lets each container run its own userspace OS as a shared library implementing Linux concepts (process, VFS, TCP/IP). The FTL kernel provides a hypervisor-like interface for hardware-based isolation, aiming for VM-level security with container performance. It is compatible with Linux binaries, supports async Rust workloads as of v0.1.0, and its roadmap extends through January 2027 for SMP, container images, and 64-bit Arm support.
The project's repository and introduction blog post are linked from the site. The author works at Vercel.
What commenters are saying
Commenters compared FTL to exokernels, unikernels, gVisor, and Microsoft's Drawbridge. Some saw it as a classic exokernel design where the kernel only multiplexes hardware with minimal abstractions. Others questioned whether its syscall path would be faster than gVisor. One commenter noted the author works at Vercel and seems legit. A reference to Linus Torvalds' 'just a hobby' Usenet post sparked nostalgia. Another commenter wanted the game FTL: Faster Than Light.