limine

Limine is a boot loader for x86-64 personal computers that provides a modern, lightweight environment for starting operating systems. It is designed to be a simple and robust alternative to traditional bootloaders, with an emphasis on reliable hardware detection, straightforward configuration, and cross-platform compatibility.

Limine operates in both BIOS (legacy) and UEFI modes, enabling use on a wide range of hardware. It supports booting various kernel and image formats through standard interfaces such as Multiboot and Multiboot2, and can load Linux kernels directly along with associated initramfs images. The loader is intended to be convenient for developers of small or custom operating systems, as well as for users who build multi-boot setups.

A key feature is its configurable boot menu and a configuration file, typically limine.cfg, which defines boot entries, default choices, timeouts, and options passed to kernels or other loaders. Limine also supports chainloading to other bootloaders, enabling it to fit into existing boot environments and to boot non-native loaders when needed.

From a design perspective, Limine aims for a modular structure with a minimalist core and separate loaders for kernels and operating systems. This approach helps portability across BIOS and UEFI, as well as easier maintenance and updates. The project is community-driven and open source, with documentation and source code available for developers who wish to customize or extend its functionality.

Limitations include varying levels of compatibility with all operating systems, depending on their boot requirements and image formats. While Limine provides a capable and straightforward option for many setups, some environments may still rely on more feature-rich bootloaders. See also: GRUB, SYSlinux, iPXE.