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State of Nexus: Proof of Concept in Sight

· 2 min read
Jenning Schaefer
Jenning Schaefer
Founder, UI, UX

From Vision to Structure​

When we first introduced Open Nexus, it was only an idea — an alternative to fragmented ecosystems, built on Rust and a Redox microkernel.
Today, that idea has taken shape. The foundation of the project is no longer abstract; it is code, libraries, and a working environment.

  • GitHub for visibility, GitLab for day-to-day development
  • A clear project structure with modular components
  • Scripts for initial-setup, build, and run — so contributors can get started quickly

From Orbital Fork to Open Nexus​

What began as a fork of Orbital has been transformed into something new:

  • Login screen with a clean, aesthetic design
  • Action Bar for notifications and quick access
  • Control Center with Dark/Light mode switching and Mobile/Desktop adaptation
  • Modern Menu integrated into a new designed bar
  • Completely new icon system — SVG-based, scalable, future-proof

This is not just polish. It’s a foundation that scales with modern hardware and modern expectations.

Technical Advances​

Beneath the surface, the architecture has grown deeper roots:

  • Event system overhauled — safer, cleaner, built for extensibility
  • Icon & theme library — one place to manage visuals and colors
  • Local config persistence — settings that survive reboots
  • State machine to orchestrate predictable system behavior
  • Acrylic glass UI effect — lighter on CPU, smoother for users

Together, these elements mark a step from prototype hacks to a system with its own identity.

The Road Ahead​

We are approaching our first milestone: a proof of concept.
Not yet a full OS, not yet production-ready — but enough to demonstrate what an open, adaptive, single-device experience can look like.

It’s the first time our vision becomes tangible.
And it’s only the beginning.

Join the discussion on Discord
Contribute to the codebase

Open Nexus is moving fast. With every line of Rust, with every design decision, we are turning possibility into reality. The proof of concept is near — and with it, the first glimpse of a different future for computing.