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doc: slight refresh and pivot
As Infix matures as an operating system it is quickly becoming more and more useful also for end-device use-cases. The README should reflect this change in focus. Signed-off-by: Joachim Wiberg <troglobit@gmail.com>
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Joachim Wiberg
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<img align="right" src="doc/logo.png" alt="Infix - Linux <3 NETCONF" width=480 border=10>
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Infix is a free, Linux-based, immutable operating system built around
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[Buildroot][1] and [sysrepo][2]. A powerful mix that ease porting to
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different platforms, simplify long-term maintenance, and provide
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made-easy management using NETCONF, RESTCONF[^2], or the built-in
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command line interface (CLI) from a console or SSH login.
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Turn any ARM or x86 device into a powerful, manageable network appliance
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in minutes. From $35 Raspberry Pi boards to enterprise switches — deploy
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routers, IoT gateways, edge devices, or custom network solutions that
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just work.
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> [!TIP]
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> _Curious how it works?_ Click the **▶ Example CLI Session** below to see
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> it in action
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> — or jump into the comprehensive [Infix Documentation][4] to learn even more.
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## Our Values
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Geared for switches and routers — yet its core value fits plenty of
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other use cases:
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**🔒 Immutable**
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Your system never breaks. Read-only filesystem with atomic upgrades
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means no configuration drift, no corrupted updates, and instant rollback
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if something goes wrong. Deploy once, trust forever.
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- Runs from a squashfs image on a read-only partition
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- Single configuration file on a separate partition
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- Built around YANG with standard IETF models
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- Linux switchdev provides open switch APIs
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- Atomic upgrades to secondary partition
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- Highly security focused
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**🤝 Friendly**
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Actually easy to use. Auto-generated CLI from standard YANG models comes
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with built-in help for every command — just hit `?` or TAB for
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context-aware assistance. Familiar NETCONF/RESTCONF APIs and
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[comprehensive documentation][4] mean you're never stuck. Whether
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you're learning networking or managing enterprise infrastructure.
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An immutable[^1] operating system enhances security and inherently makes
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it maintenance-free. Configuration and data, e.g, containers, is stored
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on separate partitions to ensure complete separation from system files
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and allow for seamless backup, restore, and provisioning.
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**🛡️ Secure**
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Built with security as a foundation, not an afterthought. Minimal
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attack surface, separation between system and data, and container
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isolation. Sleep better knowing your infrastructure is protected.
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In itself, Infix is perfectly suited for dedicated networking tasks,
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such as routing, switching, and monitoring. This is how it started, as
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a network focused operating system. Now, with native support for Docker
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containers, it provides a versatile platform that can easily be adapted
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to any customer need. Be it legacy applications, network protocols,
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process monitoring, or edge data analysis, it can run close to end
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equipment. Either directly connected on dedicated Ethernet ports or
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indirectly using virtual network cables to exist on the same LAN as
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other connected equipment.
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## Why Choose Infix
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The simple design of Infix provides complete control over both system
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and data, minimal cognitive burden, and makes it incredibly easy to get
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started.
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**Hardware Flexibility**: Start with a $35 Raspberry Pi, scale to
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enterprise switching hardware. Same OS, same tools, same reliability.
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<details><summary><b>Example CLI Session</b></summary>
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**Standards-Based**: Built around YANG models and IETF standards. Learn
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once, use everywhere - no vendor lock-in.
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The CLI configure context is automatically generated from the loaded
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YANG models and their corresponding [sysrepo][2] plugins. The following
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is brief example of how to set the IP address of an interface:
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**Container Ready**: Run your applications alongside networking
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functions. GPIO access, dedicated Ethernet ports, custom protocols —
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your device, your rules.
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```
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## Use Cases
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1. **Home Labs & Hobbyists**:
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Transform a Raspberry Pi into a full-featured router with WiFi
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1. **IoT & Edge Computing**:
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Bridge devices to the cloud with reliable, updatable gateways
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1. **Small Business Networks**:
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Enterprise-grade features without the complexity or cost
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1. **Developers & Makers**:
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Test networking concepts, prototype IoT solutions, or build custom
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appliances
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1. **Network Professionals**:
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Consistent tooling from development to production deployment.
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How about a digital twin using raw Qemu or [GNS3](https://gns3.com/infix)!
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## See It In Action
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Configure an interface in seconds - the CLI guides you with built-in help:
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<details><summary><b>Click Here for an example CLI Session</b></summary>
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```bash
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admin@infix-12-34-56:/> configure
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admin@infix-12-34-56:/config/> edit interface eth0
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admin@infix-12-34-56:/config/interface/eth0/> set ipv4 <TAB>
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address autoconf bind-ni-name enabled
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forwarding mtu neighbor
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forwarding mtu neighbor
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admin@infix-12-34-56:/config/interface/eth0/> set ipv4 address 192.168.2.200 prefix-length 24
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admin@infix-12-34-56:/config/interface/eth0/> show
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type ethernet;
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@@ -62,7 +73,6 @@ ipv4 {
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prefix-length 24;
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}
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}
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ipv6
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admin@infix-12-34-56:/config/interface/eth0/> diff
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interfaces {
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interface eth0 {
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@@ -85,56 +95,64 @@ lo ethernet UP 00:00:00:00:00:00
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admin@infix-12-34-56:/> copy running-config startup-config
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```
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[Click here][3] for more details.
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Notice how TAB completion shows available options, `show` displays
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current config, and `diff` shows exactly what changed before you
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commit your changes with the `leave` command.
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</details>
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Infix can run on many different types of architectures and boards, much
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thanks to Linux and Buildroot. Currently the focus is on 64-bit ARM
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devices, optionally with switching fabric supported by Linux switchdev.
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The [following boards](board/aarch64/README.md) are fully supported:
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> [Full CLI documentation →][3]
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- Marvell CN9130 CRB
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- Marvell EspressoBIN
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- Microchip SparX-5i PCB135 (eMMC)
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- NXP i.MX8MP EVK
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- Raspberry Pi 4B
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- NanoPi R2S
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## Get Started
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Additionally, StarFive VisionFive2, a RISC-V based two-port router, and
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an x86_64 build is also available. The latter is primarily intended for
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development and testing, but can also be used for evaluation and demo
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purposes. For more information, see: [Infix in Virtual
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Environments](doc/virtual.md).
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Get [pre-built images][5] for your hardware. Use the CLI, web
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interface, or standard NETCONF/RESTCONF tools, e.g., `curl`. Add
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containers for any custom functionality you need.
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> See the [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/kernelkit/infix/releases)
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> page for our pre-built images. The *[Latest Build][]* has bleeding
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> edge images, if possible we recommend using a versioned release.
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>
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> For *customer specific builds* of Infix, see your product repository.
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### Supported Platforms
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- **Raspberry Pi 4B** - Perfect for home labs, learning, and prototyping
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- **NanoPi R2S** - Compact dual-port router in a tiny package
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- **x86_64** - Run in VMs or on mini PCs for development and testing
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- **Marvell CN9130 CRB, EspressoBIN** - High-performance ARM platforms
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- **Microchip SparX-5i, NXP i.MX8MP EVK** - Enterprise switching capabilities
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- **StarFive VisionFive2** - RISC-V architecture support
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----
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*Why start with Raspberry Pi?* It's affordable, widely available, has
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built-in WiFi + Ethernet, and runs the exact same Infix OS you'd deploy
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in production. Perfect for learning, prototyping, or even small-scale
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deployments.
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> 📖 **[Complete documentation][4]** • 💬 **[Join our Discord][discord-url]**
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## Technical Details
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Built on proven open-source foundations ([Buildroot][1] + [sysrepo][2])
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for reliability you can trust:
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- **Immutable OS**: Read-only filesystem, atomic updates, instant rollback
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- **YANG Configuration**: Industry-standard models with auto-generated tooling
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- **Hardware Acceleration**: Linux switchdev support for wire-speed packet processing
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- **Container Integration**: Docker support with flexible network and hardware access
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- **Memory Efficient**: Runs comfortably on devices with as little as 256 MB RAM
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Perfect for everything from resource-constrained edge devices to
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high-throughput network appliances.
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> Check the *[Latest Build][]* for bleeding-edge features.
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---
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<div align="center">
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<a href="https://github.com/wires-se"><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wires-se/.github/main/profile/logo.png" width=300></a>
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<br />Infix development is sponsored by <a href="https://wires.se">Wires<a>
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<a href="https://github.com/wires-se"><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wires-se/.github/main/profile/play.svg" width=300></a>
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<br />Infix development is sponsored by <a href="https://wires.se">Wires</a>
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</div>
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----
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[^1]: An immutable operating system is one with read-only file systems,
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atomic updates, rollbacks, declarative configuration, and workload
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isolation. All to improve reliability, scalability, and security.
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For more information, see this [survey paper][5] and [article][6].
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[^2]: Partial RESTCONF support, features like HTTP PATCH, OPTIONS, HEAD,
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and copying between datastores are still missing.
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[1]: https://buildroot.org/ "Buildroot Homepage"
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[2]: https://www.sysrepo.org/ "Sysrepo Homepage"
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[3]: doc/cli/introduction.md
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[4]: https://kernelkit.org/infix/ "Infix User's Guide"
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[5]: https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-3386/paper9.pdf "Immutable Operating Systems: A Survey"
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[6]: https://www.zdnet.com/article/what-is-immutable-linux-heres-why-youd-run-an-immutable-linux-distro/ "Why you should run an immutable Linux distro"
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[3]: https://kernelkit.org/infix/latest/cli/introduction/
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[4]: https://kernelkit.org/infix/
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[5]: https://github.com/kernelkit/infix/releases
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[Latest Build]: https://github.com/kernelkit/infix/releases/tag/latest "Latest build"
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[License]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPL_license
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[License Badge]: https://img.shields.io/badge/License-GPL%20v2-blue.svg
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