cloud-os

01project

An experimental web-based cloud operating system — a desktop-like environment running in the browser.

Year: 2026
Type: Experiment
Tech stack: PHPJavaScript

About the project

cloud-os explores how far the browser can go as an operating system: windows, apps and a file system living entirely on the web. It is my playground for pushing PHP and vanilla JavaScript beyond typical CRUD work.

Highlights

Desktop metaphor in the browser: windows, apps and a file system
Open source under GPL-2.0

Gallery

01
The challenge
Browsers are built for documents, not desktops: window management, a file system and an app lifecycle all have to be invented on top of the DOM without killing performance.
02
The solution
A window manager built on absolutely-positioned layers with a central z-index and focus registry, a virtual file system persisted server-side in PHP, and apps as isolated modules sharing one message bus.
03
The result
A working desktop in the browser — draggable windows, files that survive reload, and a codebase that stays understandable despite doing something unusual.

Key features

01Window managerDrag, resize, minimize and focus handling with a central registry — like a tiny OS compositor in JavaScript.
02Virtual file systemFiles and folders persisted through a PHP backend, browsable by the built-in apps.
03App modulesEach app is an isolated module with a manifest, talking to the system over a shared event bus.