Offshoots of cancelled TrueNAS Core upgrade to FreeBSD 15
Two independent projects have emerged to keep TrueNAS Core-based network storage systems alive on the latest FreeBSD codebase, filling a gap left after developer iXsystems discontinued its FreeBSD-based NAS operating system in 2024 in favour of the Linux-based TrueNAS SCALE. This matters to users who value FreeBSD's tight integration with the ZFS filesystem, particularly on memory-constrained hardware, since running ZFS as a module on Linux keeps its cache separate from the kernel's own, which is less efficient. An earlier fork, zVault, attempted to carry the torch but stalled and was later flagged by users as unsafe to run, leaving the field open for new entrants.
FreeCORE, a solo effort under way since January, released its first build in mid-August 2026 and issued an update, FreeCORE-15.0-U1, on 27 August, moving the old TrueNAS Core 13.3 code onto the FreeBSD 15 base along with current security fixes; its developer says it has no affiliation with zVault, BSDnas or XigmaNAS. BSDnas, dated 19 August, follows a similar path of stripping iXsystems dependencies and rebasing onto FreeBSD 15, and is reported to run usably with just 4GB of RAM (2GB to boot), compared with the 8-16GB typically recommended for TrueNAS SCALE. The long-established XigmaNAS remains a further, more mature alternative for those wanting a proven track record.
In short
- New forks FreeCORE and BSDnas revive TrueNAS Core on FreeBSD 15.
- Predecessor project zVault stalled and was declared unsafe by users.
- BSDnas needs as little as 2-4GB RAM, far less than TrueNAS SCALE.
Explained simply
TrueNAS Core was a network storage operating system built on FreeBSD, a free, open-source system. It used ZFS to manage and protect stored data. In 2024, its developer, iXsystems, stopped developing Core and focused on TrueNAS SCALE, which is based on Linux.
That change left some users looking for a way to keep running Core-style systems on FreeBSD, especially on hardware with limited memory. FreeCORE and BSDnas are independent projects adapting Core’s code to newer FreeBSD versions; neither is an official continuation from iXsystems. XigmaNAS is a separate, longer-running FreeBSD storage system.
These projects matter to people choosing how to run a home or business file server, because the operating system affects hardware needs and how storage is managed. Their maturity and support may differ, so users may weigh newer projects against an established alternative.