Editions & Platforms
The three ways to run MeghaOS, and what differs between macOS and Linux.
MeghaOS comes in three editions. Two run on Linux and share an identical feature set; the third brings MeghaOS to macOS as a preview app with its own native integrations.
The three editions
Install the MeghaOS desktop on top of an existing Linux distribution. You keep your distro; MeghaOS becomes your desktop.
A complete Linux operating system that ships with the MeghaOS desktop built in — nothing else to install.
A macOS application that lets Mac users experience MeghaOS's AI features without installing Linux.
Feature parity
The Desktop Environment and Operating System editions are feature-identical — the OS is simply the DE delivered as a full Linux system. Everything in these docs marked "Linux (DE & OS)" applies to both.
The macOS app includes the complete MeghaOS AI experience — generative UI, chat, workflows, automation, memory, widgets, and most cross-platform capabilities — plus native Apple ecosystem integrations. Because it runs as an app rather than replacing your desktop, the full Linux desktop-environment features (a complete windowing desktop, virtual workspaces as your primary desktop, session lock/power management) are part of the Linux editions.
What runs where
| Capability area | Linux (DE & OS) | macOS app |
|---|---|---|
| Generative UI (A2UI) & widgets | ✅ | ✅ |
| Chat & the AI assistant | ✅ | ✅ |
| Workflows & automation | ✅ | ✅ |
| Memory & personalization | ✅ | ✅ |
| Computer control & the terminal CLI | ✅ | ✅ |
| Web, email, files & documents, finance, compliance | ✅ | ✅ |
| Messaging (Slack, Discord, Telegram, Signal), social, GitHub | ✅ | ✅ |
| System control (audio, display, network, Bluetooth) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Full windowed desktop, virtual workspaces, built-in desktop apps | ✅ | Preview surface only |
| Desktop window management, session lock & power | ✅ | Handled by macOS |
| Apple integrations (iMessage, FaceTime, Mail, Notes, Reminders, Contacts, Calendar app, Safari/Chrome, Apple Music, Photos, HomeKit, Shortcuts, Finder, Maps) | — | ✅ |
Platform-specific functionality
Throughout the docs, platform-specific features are marked so you know what's available in your edition.
The complete desktop environment: the windowed canvas, virtual workspaces, built-in desktop apps, compositor-level window management, and session lock / power as your primary desktop.
Deep Apple ecosystem integration — iMessage, FaceTime & SMS, Apple Mail, Notes, Reminders, Contacts, the Calendar app, Safari/Chrome control, Apple Music, Photos, HomeKit, Shortcuts, Finder, and Maps.
Everything else — the generative UI, the assistant, workflows, memory, and the large library of cross-platform capabilities — works the same across all three editions.
How to read these docs
- Pages and capabilities that are platform-specific carry a note like the ones above.
- The Capability Catalog labels each capability group with the platforms it supports.
- The Widget Catalog applies to every edition — generative UI renders identically everywhere.
Ready to install? See the Quickstart and Installation for per-edition setup.