# Olares — Open-Source Personal Cloud Operating System

> Olares is a self-hosted personal cloud platform that lets users run AI models, manage files, and deploy applications on their own hardware. It provides a Kubernetes-based operating system with built-in identity, storage, networking, and an app marketplace.

## Install

Save in your project root:

# Olares — Open-Source Personal Cloud Operating System

## Quick Use
```bash
# Install Olares on a Linux machine
curl -fsSL https://olares.sh/install | bash

# Access the web dashboard
# Open https://your-server-ip in a browser
# Follow the setup wizard to create your account
```

## Introduction
Olares (formerly Terminus OS) is an open-source, Kubernetes-based operating system designed for self-hosted personal cloud deployments. It provides a unified platform where users can run local AI models, store and sync files, host applications, and manage their digital identity without relying on third-party cloud services. Olares handles the complexity of container orchestration, networking, and storage behind a consumer-friendly interface.

## What Olares Does
- Provides a full personal cloud environment with file sync, photo management, and app hosting
- Runs local AI models and agents with built-in GPU support and model management
- Manages user identity and authentication through a decentralized identity system
- Offers an app marketplace for one-click deployment of self-hosted applications
- Handles automatic HTTPS, reverse proxy, and VPN tunneling for secure remote access

## Architecture Overview
Olares runs on Kubernetes and extends it with custom controllers for user management, application lifecycle, storage orchestration, and network policy. The system uses a layered architecture: the base OS layer handles K8s cluster management, the middleware layer provides databases, caches, and object storage, and the application layer hosts user-facing services. A built-in app runtime sandboxes each application with resource limits and network isolation.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install on bare metal or a VM running Ubuntu, Debian, or other supported Linux distributions
- Minimum requirements: 4 CPU cores, 8 GB RAM, 100 GB storage
- Configure through the web-based admin panel after initial setup
- Add GPU support for AI workloads by enabling NVIDIA container runtime
- Set up remote access via the built-in VPN tunnel or custom domain with automatic TLS

## Key Features
- One-command installation that bootstraps a full Kubernetes cluster with all dependencies
- Built-in local AI runtime supporting Ollama, vLLM, and custom model serving
- Unified file system with S3-compatible object storage and cross-device sync
- Decentralized identity based on blockchain-anchored DID for self-sovereign authentication
- Application sandboxing with per-app resource quotas and network policies

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Umbrel** — Simpler Docker-based home server; Olares uses Kubernetes for stronger isolation and scaling
- **CasaOS** — Lightweight Docker UI; Olares provides a full OS with identity, AI, and app orchestration
- **Nextcloud** — File-focused collaboration suite; Olares is a broader platform OS with AI and app marketplace
- **Unraid** — NAS-focused with VM support; Olares targets cloud-native app deployment and AI workloads
- **Coolify** — PaaS for deploying apps; Olares adds personal cloud features like identity, files, and AI

## FAQ
**Q: What hardware do I need to run Olares?**
A: A Linux machine with at least 4 CPU cores, 8 GB RAM, and 100 GB storage. GPU is optional but recommended for AI workloads.

**Q: Can I access Olares remotely?**
A: Yes. Olares includes a built-in VPN tunnel and reverse proxy with automatic HTTPS for secure remote access from anywhere.

**Q: What applications can I install on Olares?**
A: Olares has an app marketplace with self-hosted alternatives for notes, photos, chat, development tools, and AI applications. You can also deploy custom containers.

**Q: How does Olares compare to running plain Kubernetes?**
A: Olares handles all the K8s complexity (ingress, storage, certificates, user management) behind a consumer-friendly interface, so you get K8s power without K8s operations overhead.

## Sources
- https://github.com/beclab/Olares
- https://olares.xyz/

---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-47f0d2c3
Author: AI Open Source