Does anyone have an idea how a minimal base Linux image can run inside a browser...

mwcampbell · on Nov 7, 2015

It's a clever hack, but I don't know of any practical application. Did you have one in mind? Or is it just for the hack value?

homarp · on Nov 8, 2015

Depending what you want to do, there is also the OR1K Emulator running Linux - http://jor1k.com and a generic x86 emulator - v86 - https://github.com/copy/v86

you can check a small benchmark here: https://github.com/s-macke/jor1k/wiki/Benchmark-with-other-e...

via https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10498305

diminish · on Nov 7, 2015

a test / development environment inside the browser where a server is emulated for testing purposes too, accompanied with a code editor.

I d like to describe the vm configuration similar to chef or ansible in js and run some dev/test code.

s-macke · on Nov 7, 2015

You need just the Linux kernel and Busybox in order to run Linux with a working shell. 2-4 MB all together I would say. My first Internet router ran a Linux from a 1.44MB disk 15 years ago.

vidarh · on Nov 7, 2015

You're in the right ballpark. I ported a network monitoring app to Linux and helped bring Linux up on a custom board a long time ago, and that device had 4MB for the kernel, shell/utilities and the application itself. It fit nicely.

wtallis · on Nov 8, 2015

Even a modern OpenWRT distribution still fits in 4MB of flash if you leave out the web interface and only include the basic features.