Welcome to Hogwarts OS, a fully immersive and wizardry-themed operating system built on top of Linux Mint Cinnamon 21.3 edition. Inspired by the world of Harry Potter, this project reimagines the computing experience with a unique blend of custom themes, spell-based terminal commands, AI-powered tools, gamification, and interactive visuals.
Developed as part of the Hackanovate Hackathon at ABES Institute, Hogwarts OS is designed to combine fun, functionality, and fantasy for all magic and tech enthusiasts.
Most operating systems offer a generic, monotonous user experience, especially for creative users and students who crave engagement, personalization, and intuitive design.
Hogwarts OS solves this by:
- ✨ Turning the entire OS into a magical universe with house-based personalization.
- 🧠 Embedding AI-powered tools for intuitive interactions.
- 🧪 Introducing gamification, XP, and unlockables to make computing enjoyable and rewarding.
- 💻 Offering both a full OS experience and installable modules, making it versatile for all users.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| 🧙 Sorting Hat on First Login | Assigns a Hogwarts House (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin) via random choice or quiz, dynamically applying matching themes, wallpapers, and system sounds. |
| 🗺️ Marauder’s Map File Explorer | Electron-based custom file explorer with parchment UI, spell-based navigation, XP unlocking, folder animations, and Agent AI for semantic search and smart file organization. |
| 🔥 House-Themed Common Room Desktop | A fullscreen control panel with animated fireplace, house points tracker, Daily Prophet widget, Owl Post notifications, and ambient visuals. |
| ✨ Spell-Based Terminal | Replace boring commands with magical spells like Lumos (light mode), Nox (dark mode), Accio (search), Evanesco (delete), Expelliarmus (kill process), and more. |
| 📬 Owl Post Notification System | System notification system with parchment-styled popup UI and owl sounds for alerts, messages, and system events. |
| 🧪 Potion Brewing App Installer | An animated app installer where users drag and drop “ingredients” (app components) to brew and install applications magically. |
| 🧠 AI-Powered Portrait Assistant | A living portrait built using Agent AI / Akash Chat API, providing help, commands, and interaction like Dumbledore’s enchanted frame. |
| 🔐 Patronus Lock Screen | Custom glowing Patronus-themed lock/login screen via GDM customization. |
| 🎮 Gamification Layer | Earn XP, unlock secret Hogwarts areas, track House Points, uncover hidden folders/passages, and access the Room of Requirement. |
| 🧹 Secret Mode Switches | Spell commands like Homenum Revelio (show users), Sectumsempra (force delete), and more. |
| 🧙♀️ Quidditch Mini-Game | A fun Quidditch game built using Python & Pygame for entertainment. |
- Frontend: Electron (for file explorer & UI tools), HTML/CSS, GTK theming, Cinnamon customizations
- Backend: Node.js (for Electron apps), Python (for AI, automation, games), Shell scripting
- AI Integration: Agent AI / Akash Chat for smart assistant and search
- System Customization: GDM, Plymouth, Grub, GNOME/GTK for visuals, startup logos, and lock screen
📌 Full system architecture diagram available in /docs/architecture.png
We offer two flexible options for trying out Hogwarts OS:
Get the ready-to-install Hogwarts OS ISO – a fully pre-configured Linux Mint distro with all features, themes, and magic built-in.
✅ Best for immersive experience with everything out-of-the-box
⚠️ Requires VirtualBox, bare metal, or a USB installer
Install individual magical components (Sorting Hat, Marauder’s Map, Owl Post, etc.) on your existing Linux Mint system.
✅ Best for developers and users who want to add only selected features
💡 Each module comes with installation guide, setup script & dependencies
📁 Visit the modules/ folder to get started!
hogwarts-os/
├── iso/ # Complete OS build files (for full ISO)
│ ├── boot/ # Bootloader files with Hogwarts branding
│ ├── casper/ # Filesystem (squashfs) for live system
│ ├── preseed/ # Automated installation config (optional)
│ └── README.md # Instructions for building from source
│
├── modules/ # Individual magical features/modules
│ ├── sorting-hat/ # House selection system
│ ├── marauders-map/ # Electron-based file explorer with AI
│ ├── owl-post/ # Notification system with owl-style popups
│ ├── potion-installer/ # Gamified app installer
│ ├── enchanted-portrait/ # AI Assistant with interactive portrait
│ ├── patronus-lockscreen/ # Custom login screen (GDM/SDDM)
│ └── quidditch-game/ # Mini-game built with Python & Pygame
│
├── assets/ # Wallpapers, icons, logos, sounds, animations
│ ├── wallpapers/
│ ├── icons/
│ ├── sounds/
│ └── animations/
│
├── scripts/ # Theme switchers, spell terminal, setup tools
│ ├── install.sh # Full system setup script
│ ├── theme-switcher.sh # Switch house themes manually
│ ├── spell-terminal.sh # Spells mapped to terminal commands
│ └── startup-animation/ # Hogwarts startup logo and animation files
│
├── docs/ # Architecture diagrams, presentation, media
│ ├── architecture.png
│ ├── screenshots/
│ └── demo.mp4
│
├── .github/ # GitHub workflows and issue templates
│
├── README.md # This file (project overview)
├── LICENSE # MIT License
└── CONTRIBUTING.md # Guidelines for contributors (optional)| Stack | Description |
|---|---|
| 🧰 OS Base | Linux Mint Cinnamon 21.3 |
| 🎨 UI | Electron, HTML, CSS, GTK, Plymouth |
| 🧠 AI | Agent AI, Akash Chat API |
| 🐍 Logic | Node.js, Python, Bash |
| 🎮 Game | Python + Pygame |
| 🖼️ Graphics | GIMP, Inkscape |
demo.video.2.mp4
Project by: [CodeFusion / Members: Kanika Singhal | Nishant Harkut | Apeksha Jain]
Built with 💛 at Hackanovate Hackathon – ABES Institute of Technology
This project is licensed under the MIT License.