Introduction
Matrix OS is Web 4 -- a unified AI operating system where software is generated from conversation.
What is Matrix OS?
Matrix OS is an AI-native operating system that combines your OS, messaging, social network, and AI assistant into a single platform. You describe what you need in natural language. It writes the software into existence.
Built on the Claude Agent SDK, Matrix OS treats AI as the kernel. The spawnKernel() function in packages/kernel/src/spawn.ts invokes query() for initial prompts and resume for multi-turn conversations. Everything the system creates is persisted as files in ~/matrixos/.
Everything you create is a file you own
Apps live in ~/matrixos/apps/, config in ~/matrixos/system/, agent prompts in ~/matrixos/agents/. Back up your entire OS by copying a folder.
How It Works
Core Principles
Everything Is a File
The file system is the single source of truth. Config, agents, skills, themes, data -- all files you own and can inspect, copy, or version with git.
Agent Is the Kernel
The Claude Agent SDK is the kernel. query() with resume handles multi-turn conversations. Five specialized sub-agents handle different task types.
Headless Core, Multi-Shell
The core works without a UI. The web desktop is one of many shells -- Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, and CLI all connect to the same kernel.
Self-Healing and Self-Expanding
The Healer agent detects broken modules and restores them from git snapshots. The Evolver agent writes new agents, skills, and knowledge files on demand.
The Computer Metaphor
Matrix OS maps the Claude Agent SDK to real computer architecture:
| Component | Maps To |
|---|---|
| CPU | Claude Opus 4.6 |
| RAM | Context window (1M tokens) |
| Kernel | Main agent + spawnKernel() |
| Processes | 5 sub-agents (Builder, Researcher, Deployer, Healer, Evolver) |
| Syscalls | Read, Write, Edit, Bash |
| Disk | ~/matrixos/ (apps, data, system, agents) |
| Drivers | MCP servers (IPC tools) |
| IPC | File coordination + SQLite task queue |
Next Steps
How is this guide?