Limine is a modern, secure, portable bootloader and boot manager that serves as the reference implementation for the Limine boot protocol.
Limine addresses the need for a contemporary bootloader that works across multiple architectures and boot protocols. It supports IA-32, x86-64, aarch64, riscv64, and loongarch64 systems, and can boot Linux, Limine protocol kernels, Multiboot 1 and 2 kernels, and chainload other bootloaders. The tool handles MBR, GPT, and unpartitioned media, with filesystem support for FAT12/16/32 and ISO9660. It includes an interactive boot menu and is designed with security and portability as core principles.
Limine suits projects that need a bootloader supporting multiple architectures and boot standards without being locked into legacy constraints. It works well for custom operating systems, embedded systems, and distributions targeting modern hardware. The minimum requirement for 32-bit x86 is Pentium Pro class CPUs; all x86-64, aarch64, riscv64, and loongarch64 UEFI systems are supported. Binary releases are provided for convenience, with the host tool available in portable source form buildable with any C99 compiler, and Windows binaries included in release packages.
Development activity shows consistent engagement with the community through an active Matrix chat room for support and discussion. The project maintains a structured approach to versioning using Semantic Versioning for releases since version 7.x. Documentation is comprehensive, with dedicated guides for installation, usage, and third-party software acknowledgments, suggesting attention to clarity for both users and contributors.
