# TrueNAS

> open-source operating system designed for file sharing

**Wikidata**: [Q1328132](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1328132)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TrueNAS)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/truenas

## Summary  
TrueNAS is an open‑source operating system built for network‑attached storage and file sharing. Developed by iXsystems and based on the FreeBSD Unix‑like system, it is distributed under BSD, GPL‑3.0 and proprietary licenses and is available as TrueNAS Core (formerly FreeNAS) and TrueNAS Scale.

## Key Facts  
- **Developer:** iXsystems (source: developer property).  
- **Base system:** Built on FreeBSD (property *based_on* and *operating_system*).  
- **Primary use:** Network‑attached storage (NAS) for file sharing.  
- **Latest stable release:** TrueNAS 13.0, released 2022‑05‑10 (stable version qualifier).  
- **Earlier notable releases:** 11.1‑U6 (2018‑08‑21), 11.2‑U7 (2019‑11‑19), 12.0‑U8 (2022‑02‑03).  
- **Licensing:** BSD licenses for FreeNAS/TrueNAS Core, GNU GPL v3 for TrueNAS Scale, and proprietary licenses for both Core and Scale (license property).  
- **Aliases:** FreeNAS, TrueNAS Core.  
- **Official website:** https://www.truenas.com (website property).  
- **Source code repository:** https://github.com/truenas/ (source_code_repository_url).  
- **Twitter:** Verified @TrueNAS account created 2011‑05‑02 (twitter property).  

## FAQs  
### Q: What is TrueNAS?  
**A:** TrueNAS is an open‑source operating system designed to turn hardware into a network‑attached storage (NAS) appliance, enabling file sharing across networks.  

### Q: Is TrueNAS free to use?  
**A:** Yes. The Core edition (formerly FreeNAS) is released under BSD licenses and can be used and redistributed freely; TrueNAS Scale is GPL‑3.0 licensed. Proprietary licensing also exists for certain enterprise features.  

### Q: Which operating system does TrueNAS run on?  
**A:** TrueNAS runs on top of FreeBSD, a free Unix‑like operating system, and packages additional storage‑focused tools and a web interface.  

### Q: How can I download the latest version of TrueNAS?  
**A:** The current stable release, TrueNAS 13.0, is available from the official download page https://www.truenas.com/download-truenas-core/.  

### Q: Where can I find community support for TrueNAS?  
**A:** Support is provided through the official forum (https://forums.truenas.com/), a Reddit community (r/freenas), a Lemmy community (truenas@programming.dev), and the project's issue tracker on Atlassian Jira.  

## Why It Matters  
TrueNAS democratizes enterprise‑grade storage by offering a fully open‑source platform that can be deployed on commodity hardware or integrated with iXsystems’ purpose‑built appliances. By leveraging the stability and security of FreeBSD, it provides reliable ZFS‑based data protection, snapshots, and replication features that were traditionally confined to costly proprietary solutions. Its dual‑license model accommodates both community users seeking a free NAS solution and organizations requiring commercial support and advanced features. The frequent, well‑documented releases (e.g., 13.0 in 2022) and active community forums ensure that administrators can keep systems up‑to‑date and secure. Consequently, TrueNAS has become a cornerstone in the NAS market, enabling small businesses, developers, and home users to manage large volumes of data efficiently and cost‑effectively.  

## Notable For  
- **First‑class open‑source NAS OS** built on the robust FreeBSD kernel.  
- **Dual‑edition model** (Core and Scale) with distinct licensing (BSD vs. GPL‑3.0).  
- **Frequent stable releases**, with version 13.0 released in May 2022.  
- **Strong community ecosystem**: Reddit, Lemmy, official forums, and a public issue tracker.  
- **Enterprise backing** from iXsystems, providing commercial hardware integration and support.  

## Body  

### Overview  
TrueNAS is an operating‑system distribution that transforms servers into network‑attached storage devices. It focuses on file sharing, data protection, and scalability.  

### History & Naming  
- Originally released as **FreeNAS**, later rebranded to **TrueNAS Core**.  
- The broader product family now includes **TrueNAS Scale**, which adds container‑orchestrated workloads.  

### Architecture  
- **Base OS:** FreeBSD, a Unix‑like system known for stability and security.  
- **File system:** Primarily ZFS, offering snapshots, compression, and RAID‑Z configurations.  
- **Management UI:** Web‑based graphical interface for configuration, monitoring, and plugin management.  

### Licensing  
- **BSD licenses** apply to FreeNAS/TrueNAS Core (open‑source, permissive).  
- **GNU GPL v3** governs TrueNAS Scale.  
- **Proprietary licenses** are also offered for Core and Scale, typically for enterprise features.  

### Release Timeline (selected stable versions)  
| Version | Release Date | Notes |
|---------|--------------|-------|
| 9.10.1 | 2016‑08‑02 | Early stable release. |
| 11.1‑U6 | 2018‑08‑21 | Added new plugins and UI improvements. |
| 11.2‑U7 | 2019‑11‑19 | Security updates and hardware support. |
| 11.3 | 2020‑01‑28 | Introduced assistant wizards and community plugins. |
| 12.0‑U8 | 2022‑02‑03 | Marked as stable; major UI refresh. |
| 13.0 | 2022‑05‑10 | Current stable release; enhanced performance and hardware compatibility. |

### Community & Support  
- **Official blog:** https://www.truenas.com/blog/ (English).  
- **Documentation:** https://www.truenas.com/docs/ (user manual).  
- **Issue tracker:** https://ixsystems.atlassian.net/jira/software/c/projects/NAS/issues.  
- **Social media:** Verified Twitter @TrueNAS with ~26 k followers (2023‑08‑25).  

### Usage Scenarios  
- Home media servers, backup targets, and personal cloud storage.  
- Small‑to‑medium business file servers with high data integrity requirements.  
- Integration with iXsystems hardware for turnkey NAS appliances.  

### Development & Repository  
- Source code hosted on GitHub under the **truenas** organization.  
- Additional community contributions tracked via GitLab topics and SourceForge (freenas).  

## Schema Markup  
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "TrueNAS",
  "description": "Open-source operating system designed for network‑attached storage and file sharing, based on FreeBSD.",
  "url": "https://www.truenas.com",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TrueNAS"
  ],
  "additionalType": "OperatingSystem"
}

## References

1. [FreeNAS 11.1-U6 - iXsystems, Inc. - Enterprise Storage & Servers](https://www.ixsystems.com/blog/library/freenas-11-1-u6/)
2. [Release 9.10.1. 2016](https://github.com/freenas/freenas/releases/tag/9.10.1)
3. [FreeNAS 11.2-U6 Release Notes](https://www.ixsystems.com/blog/library/freenas-11-2-u6/)
4. [FreeNAS 11.2-U7 Release Notes](https://www.ixsystems.com/blog/library/freenas-11-2-u7/)
5. [FreeNAS 11.3-RELEASE](https://www.ixsystems.com/blog/library/freenas-11-3-release/)
6. [FreeNAS 11.3 mit mehr Assistenten und Community-Plugins](https://heise.de/-4652907)
7. [Source](https://www.truenas.com/)
8. [Source](https://www.ixsystems.com/blog/library/truenas-12-0-u1-1/)
9. [Source](https://www.truenas.com/docs/releasenotes/core/12.0u4/)
10. [Source](https://www.truenas.com/docs/releasenotes/core/12.0u8/)
11. [Source](https://www.truenas.com/docs/core/corereleasenotes/)
12. [Source](https://www.truenas.com/docs/core/corereleasenotes/#130-u11)
13. [Source](https://www.truenas.com/blog/truenas-13-0-u2-release-delivers-enterprise-quality/)
14. [Source](https://www.truenas.com/docs/core/corereleasenotes/#130-u3)
15. [Source](https://www.truenas.com/docs/core/corereleasenotes/#130-u4)
16. [13.0-U5. 2023](https://www.truenas.com/docs/core/corereleasenotes/#130-u5)
17. [TrueNAS 13.0-U6.1 is Now Available. 2023](https://www.truenas.com/community/threads/truenas-13-0-u6-1-is-now-available.114759/)
18. [TrueNAS 25.04.0 now available!. 2025](https://forums.truenas.com/t/truenas-25-04-0-now-available/39112)
19. [Release 11.0. 2017](https://github.com/truenas/core-build/releases/tag/11.0-RELEASE)
20. [Release 11.1. 2017](https://github.com/truenas/core-build/releases/tag/11.1-RELEASE)
21. [TrueNAS 25.10.0 is Now Available!. 2025](https://forums.truenas.com/t/truenas-25-10-0-is-now-available/57343)
22. [TrueNAS 25.10.1 is Now Available!. 2025](https://forums.truenas.com/t/truenas-25-10-1-is-now-available/60830)
23. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
24. [Source](https://api.github.com/repos/freenas/freenas)
25. Quora