What is BharOS?

Abhishek Pratap Singh
4 min readFeb 1, 2023

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BharOS is an Indian operating system that was developed as an alternative to proprietary software. It is based on the Linux kernel and designed to be user-friendly, secure, and efficient. The aim of the project is to promote the use of free and open-source software in India and to provide a low-cost alternative to proprietary operating systems for Indian consumers and businesses.

BharOS is an open-source operating system developed by the Indian government’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The aim of the project is to promote the use of free and open-source software in India and to provide a low-cost alternative to proprietary operating systems.

The development of BharOS was announced in 2018 as part of the Indian government’s “Digital India” initiative, which aims to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. The project is part of the Indian government’s efforts to promote the use of indigenous technology and reduce dependence on foreign technology.

BharOS is based on the Linux kernel and is designed to be user-friendly, secure, and efficient. It includes support for Indian languages and scripts, making it accessible to a wider range of users. The project is maintained and supported by a large community of developers and users, who contribute to its development and improvement.

Some of the features of BharOS include:

  • User-friendly interface: BharOS has a simple and intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) designed to be easy to use for people of all ages and technical backgrounds.
  • Multilingual support: BharOS supports multiple Indian languages, making it accessible to a wider range of users.
  • Security: BharOS is built with security in mind, and includes features such as firewalls and malware protection to help keep users safe from cyber threats.
  • Efficient resource utilization: BharOS is designed to be lightweight and efficient, making it suitable for use on low-end computers and other devices with limited hardware resources.
  • Support for Indian scripts and fonts: BharOS includes support for Indian scripts and fonts, allowing users to work with documents and other files in their native language.
  • Compatibility with other operating systems: BharOS is compatible with the most popular file formats and can run many popular open-source software applications, making it easy for users to switch from proprietary operating systems to BharOS.

Advantages

There are several advantages of using BharOS, including:

  1. Cost-effective: BharOS is free and open-source software, so there are no licensing costs associated with using it. This makes it an attractive option for individuals, small businesses, and schools that need an affordable operating system.
  2. Improved security: BharOS is designed with security in mind and includes features such as firewalls and malware protection, which can help reduce the risk of cyber-attacks and data theft.
  3. Support for Indian languages: BharOS supports multiple Indian languages, making it accessible to a wider range of users, including those who may not be proficient in English.
  4. Customization: As an open-source software, BharOS can be customized and modified to suit the specific needs of users. This is useful for businesses and organizations that require an operating system tailored to their specific requirements.
  5. No vendor lock-in: With BharOS, users are not tied to any particular vendor, giving them greater freedom and flexibility to choose the software and hardware that best suits their needs.
  6. Community support: BharOS is maintained and supported by a large community of developers and users, who can provide help and advice to users when needed.

Disadvantages

Here are some potential disadvantages of using BharOS:

  1. Limited software availability: Although BharOS is compatible with many popular open-source applications, some proprietary software applications may not be available or may not run well on the platform.
  2. Learning curve: For users who are not familiar with the Linux operating system, there may be a learning curve associated with using BharOS, as the interface and underlying technology are different from proprietary operating systems.
  3. Lack of commercial support: As a free and open-source software, BharOS does not have the same level of commercial support and technical assistance as proprietary operating systems. Users may need to rely on online forums and communities for help and support.
  4. Performance limitations: BharOS is designed to be lightweight and efficient, which can make it suitable for low-end computers and other devices with limited hardware resources. However, it may not perform as well as proprietary operating systems on high-end hardware.
  5. Lack of compatibility with certain hardware: BharOS may not be fully compatible with all hardware devices and peripherals, which can make it difficult to use some hardware components with the operating system.

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Abhishek Pratap Singh

Software Engineer || Co- Founder || B-Plan contest finalist at IIT Kharagpur || 1st Rank on SQL- HackerRank