Developer Tools

Build for Nexus.
Keep your code.

The Unbound SDK lets you develop proprietary NPKs, drivers, and applications without forcing source disclosure. Your IP stays yours.

🛡️ Unbound SDK Strategy

You can build proprietary products on Nexus. The SDK does not infect your code with GPL or any copyleft. Your NPKs, your drivers, your applications — your intellectual property. We sell the Forge, not your freedom.

Packages distributed through the Sovereign Bazaar are expected to carry a signature and build proof. The current public proof pack has registry validation, badge evidence, and one development hello-NPK host proof. Production Ed25519 signing remains future Forge/Bazaar work.


Everything You Need

C API

libnexus

C API for NPL development. ION Ring open/read/write, NRP query, capability request, KDL parse helpers.

API Docs →
CLI

nip

Package manager for building, signing, and publishing NPKs. Content-addressed, graft-capable, mesh-aware.

Packaging Docs →
SPEC

KDL Manifest

Package metadata format: type, capabilities, pledges, dependencies, edition constraints.

Manifest Spec →
GUIDE

NPL Membrane

How to bridge to and from POSIX worlds. Run Linux drivers in NipCells. Export NRP queries as REST.

Membrane Docs →

Your First NPK

Works as a development proof. The checked-in nip CLI creates, builds, dev-signs, installs, lists, inspects, and executes this local NPK.

# Initialize a new package nip init hello-npk # Build the NPK nip build hello-npk # Development proof signature nip sign hello-npk/dist/hello-npk.npk # Install locally nip install hello-npk/dist/hello-npk.npk # Verify it's in the store nip list

nip init creates a KDL manifest and source skeleton. nip sign currently writes a development BLAKE3 signature sidecar; production Ed25519 signing is a Forge/Bazaar follow-up.

package "my-driver" { type "capsule" interface "block-valve" version "1.0.0" capabilities { grant "io.read" grant "io.write" grant "mem.dma" } pledges [ "RPATH", "WPATH", "EXEC" ] build { toolchain "zig" target "aarch64-unknown-elf" } }

Driver capsules declare their interface, capabilities, and pledges in the manifest. The Forge validates that the binary only uses declared capabilities at link time.

#include <nexus/npl.h> #include <nexus/nrp.h> // Expose an NRP query as an HTTP endpoint int main() { ion_ring_t* ring = ion_ring_open("/Bus/Net/http0"); nrp_query_t q = nrp_query("from system.devices | filter class == 'block'"); npl_bridge_rest_serve(ring, q, 8080); return 0; }

The NPL membrane lets you bridge native Nexus protocols to external worlds. REST, gRPC, WebSocket — all via structured ION Rings, not POSIX sockets.


Write in What You Know

Nim

Native NPL

First-class support. Fibers, channels, ARC/ORC memory. The kernel itself is Nim. Your NPL code runs closest to the metal.

Zig

HAL / L0

Hardware abstraction, drivers, interrupt handlers. Comptime evaluation. No hidden allocations. C-level control without C-level insanity.

C / C++

NPL Membrane

Link against libnexus. Use ION Rings, NRP queries, and capability tokens from standard C. No POSIX required.

Janus

Future L*

Our own unification language. When Janus matures, it will subsume the Zig/Nim split. Future-proof your architecture.

Rust

NipCell / Bridge

Run inside a NipCell or bridge via the NPL membrane. Rust's safety model complements Nexus's capability algebra.

Go / Python

NipCell / Bridge

Run as guest workloads inside NipCells, or bridge through gRPC/REST. Bring your existing tools.


License Clarity

Your Code

Proprietary? Open? Your Call.

The Unbound SDK does not impose copyleft on your work. You can ship closed-source NPKs, proprietary drivers, and commercial applications built on Nexus. Your IP is yours.

  • No GPL infection
  • No source disclosure requirement
  • Choose your own license for your NPK
Our Code

Libertaria License

The Nexus kernel, Forge, and core tools are licensed under the Libertaria License (LCL/LSL/LUL/LVL tiers). The core cannot be enclosed. Period.

  • LCL — Core kernel (copyleft)
  • LSL — System tools (copyleft)
  • LUL — Userland (permissive)
  • LVL — Vendor modules (proprietary-allowed)

Read Full License Text →

Build With Us

Questions about the SDK? Want to contribute a language binding? The forge is open.