# limine

**Repository Path**: input-output/limine

## Basic Information

- **Project Name**: limine
- **Description**: Limine is a modern, advanced x86/x86_64 BIOS/UEFI multiprotocol bootloader, used as the reference implementation for the Limine boot protocol.
- **Primary Language**: Unknown
- **License**: BSD-2-Clause
- **Default Branch**: v9.x
- **Homepage**: None
- **GVP Project**: No

## Statistics

- **Stars**: 8
- **Forks**: 0
- **Created**: 2021-11-01
- **Last Updated**: 2025-08-25

## Categories & Tags

**Categories**: os

**Tags**: None

## README

# Limine [![Build Status](https://github.com/limine-bootloader/limine/actions/workflows/check.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/limine-bootloader/limine/actions/workflows/check.yml) [![Discord Server](https://img.shields.io/discord/706151776247873636?color=5865F2&label=Discord&logo=discord&logoColor=white)](https://discord.gg/Z93u2ZUNZs)

<p align="center">
    <img src="https://github.com/limine-bootloader/limine/blob/trunk/logo.png?raw=true" alt="Limine's logo"/>
</p>

### What is Limine?

Limine (pronounced as demonstrated [here](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20limine))
is a modern, advanced, portable, multiprotocol bootloader and boot manager, also used
as the reference implementation for the [Limine boot protocol](https://github.com/limine-bootloader/limine-protocol/blob/trunk/PROTOCOL.md).

### Community, Support, and Donations

#### Donate
If you want to support the work I ([@mintsuki](https://github.com/mintsuki)) do on Limine, feel free to donate to me on Liberapay:
<p><a href="https://liberapay.com/mintsuki/donate"><img alt="Donate using Liberapay" src="https://liberapay.com/assets/widgets/donate.svg"></a></p>

Donations welcome, but absolutely not mandatory!

#### Community
We have a Matrix room at [`#limine:matrix.org`](https://matrix.to/#/#limine:matrix.org)
and a [Discord server](https://discord.gg/Z93u2ZUNZs) if you need support, info, or you just want to hang out with us.

### Limine's boot menu

![Reference screenshot](screenshot.png?raw=true "Reference screenshot")

[Photo by Gundula Vogel](https://www.pexels.com/photo/ginger-cat-sitting-on-grass-25189639/)

### Supported architectures
* IA-32 (32-bit x86)
* x86-64
* aarch64 (arm64)
* riscv64
* loongarch64

### Supported boot protocols
* Linux
* [Limine](https://github.com/limine-bootloader/limine-protocol/blob/trunk/PROTOCOL.md)
* Multiboot 1
* Multiboot 2
* Chainloading

### Supported partitioning schemes
* MBR
* GPT
* Unpartitioned media

### Supported filesystems
* FAT12/16/32
* ISO9660 (CDs/DVDs)

If your filesystem isn't listed here, please read [the FAQ](FAQ.md) first, especially before
opening issues or pull requests related to this.

### Minimum system requirements
For 32-bit x86 systems, support is only ensured starting with those with
Pentium Pro (i686) class CPUs.

All x86-64, aarch64, riscv64 and loongarch64 (UEFI) systems are supported.

## Packaging status

All Limine releases since 7.x use [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html) for their naming.

[![Packaging status](https://repology.org/badge/vertical-allrepos/limine.svg?columns=3)](https://repology.org/project/limine/versions)

## Binary releases

For convenience, for point releases, binaries are distributed. These binaries
are shipped in the `-binary` branches and tags of this repository
(see [branches](https://github.com/limine-bootloader/limine/branches/all) and
[tags](https://github.com/limine-bootloader/limine/tags)).

For example, to clone the latest binary release of the `9.x` branch, one can do:
```bash
git clone https://github.com/limine-bootloader/limine.git --branch=v9.x-binary --depth=1
```
or, to clone a specific binary point release (for example `9.6.1`):
```bash
git clone https://github.com/limine-bootloader/limine.git --branch=v9.6.1-binary --depth=1
```

In order to rebuild host utilities like `limine`, simply run `make` in the binary
release directory.

Host utility binaries are provided for Windows.

## Build and Install Instructions

*The following steps are not necessary if cloning a binary release.*

See [INSTALL.md](INSTALL.md).

## Usage

See [USAGE.md](USAGE.md).

## 3rd Party Software Acknowledgments

See [3RDPARTY.md](3RDPARTY.md).