UEFI x86-64
Cix is UEFI-only. For Proxmox, use OVMF with Q35 rather than legacy BIOS/i440fx.
ALPHAearly release
Prebuilt for
Download.
Verify. Boot.
You do not need to compile Cix to use it. Start with the prebuilt installer, verify its detached signature on a machine you already trust, and boot it on a UEFI system.
ReleaseCix 0.2.57-406
Architecture
Image size
Environment
ServicePublic Cix Cache
01 / Verify the download
Trust the signature,
not the download server.
The complete release identity is Cix 0.2.57-406: the first part is the platform version and the final number identifies this release. The ISO and its detached minisign signature come from Cix Cache. The public key is pinned separately on this website; one key signs current media. Verify both files before writing the image or booting it.
minisign -Vm \
cix-installer-0.2.57-406-x86_64.iso \
-p cix-release-2026-09.pub- ISO SHA-256
- 45845052dcf4775a3e9383897de4d9ac
1081197652681506ab0eabb5b1d5e5b0 - Signature SHA-256
- 24fd2731c99d5c444f81402281035c34
5b0247699bb331448b57576b370b6a35
Release keys
Know which key signed the media.
Installers published from 6 September 2026 onward are signed by cix-release-2026-09.pub, key id 0b19db46b2b6db6c. For first-time trust, compare that identifier with a trusted Cix release announcement or obtain the public key through a separately trusted channel. Then use the command above to verify the ISO and its detached signature.
Older installers may have been signed by cix-release.pub. Keep that public key only to verify those historical downloads; it does not sign current media. Public keys can be published openly because they verify signatures. The corresponding signing private key is never published.
02 / Install
Check your machine first.
These are the currently supported installation paths. Read the guide before selecting a target disk.
Target storage
Supported paths include VirtIO Block, VirtIO-SCSI, SATA/PATA, NVMe, and software RAID.
Management network
The installer needs a static IP, prefix, gateway, and interface. Current releases include Intel I225/I226 2.5GbE support; other NICs remain hardware-specific, so check the installation guide before choosing a machine.
Console
Video and serial installation are supported. Secure Boot enrolment follows a specific first-boot procedure.
03 / First use
From boot to useful.
After installation, use these three paths: connect to the host, run a workload, or update it. Each guide explains the commands and the limits you will encounter.
Install and connect
Write the verified ISO, complete the UEFI install, set the management address, and make the first API request.
Open quickstart →Run a workload
Use the API to define an image, attach the network and storage it needs, start a container, and check readiness.
Open administration guide →Update safely
Keep the control plane and installed packages current through their separate update paths; follow the kernel procedure when changing the kernel, and keep console access available.
Open update guide →The download
Download the installer.
Verify before boot.
Cix Cache hosts the current installer and its detached signature. Download both files, verify the signature with the public release key above, and only then write the ISO to a target disk.
The installer is for a UEFI x86-64 Cix host. It is not a container image or a package archive.
Before you begin
Know what the first boot needs.
Cix is an alpha operating system. Have a supported machine, console access, a management network, and a backup of anything on the target disk.
Use a spare target
The installer changes the selected disk. Do not use a disk containing data you need until you have confirmed the target and made a backup.
Keep console access
Video or serial access is needed for installation, recovery, and authentication setup.
Expect alpha behaviour
Hardware support is narrower than the documented list. Check the installation guide for your machine before committing it.
Ask the next question
Use the quickstart after boot, then use the administration guide when you are ready to run workloads.
Alpha release
Use it with care.
Cix is available for testing and community use, but it is still changing. Expect unsupported hardware, incomplete features, and changes between releases. Keep console access and backups available, and verify every installer before booting it.