# Introduction

This website contains documentation for [OPS](https://github.com/nanovms/ops), a compilation and orchestration tool for the Nanos unikernel.

Most Unikernels out there are specialized for a high-level language, but Nanos is capable of executing any valid ELF-binary. We provide pre-tested packages for common linux software, including support for interpreted languages to provide a similar Linux like experience.

OPS has packages for [PHP](https://docs.ops.city/ops/examples), [Node](https://docs.ops.city/ops/examples), Ruby, Lua, Perl and much more. Note that you are not required to use a package. OPS is explicitly built to be able to run standalone static binaries such as Go and C.

This is a project that is being actively developed and sponsored by [NanoVMs](https://www.nanovms.com).

#### What are Unikernels?

Unikernels are specialized single process operating systems.

Unikernels dramatically shrink the attack surface and resource footprint of cloud services while providing a much better isolation model. They are machine images that can be run on a hypervisor such as Xen or KVM. Since hypervisors power all public cloud computing infrastructure such as Amazon EC2 and Google Cloud, this lets your services run cheaper, more securely and with finer control than with a full general purpose operating system such as Linux.

Unlike containers that add layers to the stack unikernels go the other way and remove/compress layers of the stack:

![vms vs containers vs unikernels](https://1097695115-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LW25tHIw0-H8ASJmFTP%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-42a500afc2ee58bbd82999ae791c6c19c81d132a%2Fvm-vs-uni.png?alt=media)

**Improved Security**

Unikernels reduce the amount of code deployed, which reduces the attack surface, and results in improved security. They also do not allow you to SSH into them and most importantly they embrace the single process model.

**Note:** This does have implications for some software. See the [FAQ](https://docs.ops.city/ops/other/faq) for more details.

**Small Footprints**

Unikernel images are often orders of magnitude smaller than traditional OS deployments. You can create and deploy sub-megabyte unikernels depending on what you want/need.

**Highly Optimized**

Unikernels can achieve greater performance from their single process nature and greater pairing with the kernel.

**Fast Boot**

Unikernels can boot extremely quickly, with boot times measured in milliseconds if you are running on servers you control.

### Architecture

Unikernels are typically deployed directly to the cloud as native disk images. For example on AWS when you do an 'ops image create' we create a new AWS AMI every single time. That AMI when you spin it up with 'ops instance create' spins up a new ec2 instance. This removes the need for a complex orchestration system that you might be used to using with something like kubernetes.

![unikernel architecture](https://1097695115-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LW25tHIw0-H8ASJmFTP%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-b6c7e3bd6d6792a64194e8e634a00f37291cec67%2Flinux-to-aws.png?alt=media)

#### How do I Get Started?

To get started, go to the [Getting Started](https://docs.ops.city/ops/getting_started) section.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.ops.city/ops/introduction.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.