A new open-source project, FreeCORE, aims to provide continued FreeBSD-based support for users of TrueNAS CORE, following iXsystems’ shift in focus to the Linux-based TrueNAS SCALE (now Community Edition). The project was created by a single developer who needed a FreeBSD option for their own TrueNAS CORE system.
iXsystems transitioned TrueNAS CORE into a sustaining engineering phase in 2024, meaning it would only receive security and stability fixes, with new features reserved for TrueNAS SCALE. The 13.3-U1.2 release was designated as the final release for the 13.3 series. This left users who preferred the FreeBSD foundation of CORE without a clear upgrade path.
FreeCORE, currently at version 15.0-U1.3, is built on FreeBSD and OpenZFS, mirroring the foundation of TrueNAS CORE and its predecessor, FreeNAS. It caters to users who rely on features like FreeBSD jails and bhyve virtual machines and do not want to switch to the Debian Linux base of TrueNAS Community Edition. The developer utilized AI coding agents to assist in the project’s implementation, while maintaining control and validation of the work.
Key upgrades in FreeCORE include OpenZFS version 2.4.2 (up from 2.1.14), Python 3.11 (from 3.9), and a newer Angular build for the web interface. It also features WebAuthn security key support for two-factor authentication, one-time passwords for console logins, GPU sharing for jails via a new DRM driver, and read-only mounting of RAR archives. Vendor telemetry has been removed, and a web interface allows management of jails, virtual machines, storage, sharing, and user accounts. Jails networking supports VNET, NAT, or DHCP.
Users currently running TrueNAS CORE 13.3 can migrate by downloading and running the `freecore-enroll.sh` script, which updates the system’s update train and certificate. Alternatively, a fresh installation is possible via removable media. Documentation is available to guide users through installation and usage. The migration replaces OpenVPN with WireGuard and does not carry over enterprise-licensed features.
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