diff --git a/docs/filesystem.md b/docs/filesystem.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf05abc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/filesystem.md
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+# Filesystem: first milestone
+
+Rustalis currently has a fixed-capacity, allocation-free RAM filesystem prototype in
+`kernel/src/fs.rs`. It is a bring-up primitive for use before the kernel heap,
+block-device layer, and persistent filesystem driver exist.
+
+## Current API
+
+- `RamFs::<N>::new()`: create a filesystem with N file slots.
+- `create(path)`: create an empty file at an absolute path.
+- `write(path, bytes)`: replace a file's contents.
+- `read(path)`: borrow file contents as bytes.
+- `remove(path)`: remove a file and release its slot.
+- `path_at(index)` and `file_count()`: enumerate occupied entries.
+
+Paths must be absolute, non-root paths. Empty components, trailing slashes, `.`,
+and `..` are rejected. Each path is limited to 64 bytes and each file to 256
+bytes. Capacity is selected at compile time. Errors are returned as `FsError`;
+the implementation does not allocate or perform disk I/O.
+
+## Important limitations
+
+This is **not yet a persistent filesystem or a complete VFS**. Data is held in
+kernel memory and disappears on reboot. The current prototype does not implement
+directories as independent objects, file descriptors, permissions, concurrent
+access, block devices, mounting, or a disk format. It must not be used as a
+security boundary.
+
+## Next milestones
+
+1. Add a VFS trait and mount-point/path resolution.
+2. Add directory metadata and file metadata (size, type, timestamps, permissions).
+3. Define a block-device interface with bounds-checked sector I/O.
+4. Implement a small on-disk filesystem behind the VFS.
+5. Add file descriptors and syscalls only after process isolation and syscall
+   validation are in place.
+6. Test storage parsing against malformed images and run integration tests in QEMU.
+
+The kernel boot path performs a small smoke check by creating and reading
+`/welcome.txt`. Unit tests cover CRUD behavior, invalid paths, duplicate names,
+capacity limits, and oversized writes.
diff --git a/kernel/src/fs.rs b/kernel/src/fs.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f8e9448
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kernel/src/fs.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,162 @@
+//! Fixed-capacity in-memory filesystem primitives for early Rustalis bring-up.
+//!
+//! This is a RAM-backed prototype, not persistent storage. It deliberately avoids
+//! allocation so it can be used before the kernel heap and block-device layer exist.
+
+const MAX_PATH_BYTES: usize = 64;
+const MAX_FILE_BYTES: usize = 256;
+
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
+pub enum FsError {
+    InvalidPath,
+    PathTooLong,
+    FileTooLarge,
+    AlreadyExists,
+    NotFound,
+    NoFreeSlots,
+}
+
+/// A small, allocation-free filesystem suitable for kernel bring-up.
+pub struct RamFs<const FILES: usize> {
+    entries: [Entry; FILES],
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
+struct Entry {
+    used: bool,
+    path: [u8; MAX_PATH_BYTES],
+    path_len: usize,
+    data: [u8; MAX_FILE_BYTES],
+    data_len: usize,
+}
+
+impl Entry {
+    const EMPTY: Self = Self {
+        used: false,
+        path: [0; MAX_PATH_BYTES],
+        path_len: 0,
+        data: [0; MAX_FILE_BYTES],
+        data_len: 0,
+    };
+
+    fn path(&self) -> &str {
+        // Paths are validated as UTF-8 before they are stored.
+        core::str::from_utf8(&self.path[..self.path_len])
+            .expect("stored filesystem path must be valid UTF-8")
+    }
+}
+
+impl<const FILES: usize> RamFs<FILES> {
+    pub const fn new() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            entries: [Entry::EMPTY; FILES],
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Create an empty file at an absolute path.
+    pub fn create(&mut self, path: &str) -> Result<(), FsError> {
+        let path = validate_path(path)?;
+        if self.find(path).is_some() {
+            return Err(FsError::AlreadyExists);
+        }
+        let slot = self.entries.iter().position(|entry| !entry.used)
+            .ok_or(FsError::NoFreeSlots)?;
+        let entry = &mut self.entries[slot];
+        entry.path[..path.len()].copy_from_slice(path.as_bytes());
+        entry.path_len = path.len();
+        entry.data_len = 0;
+        entry.used = true;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    /// Replace a file's contents. Fails without modifying the file if too large.
+    pub fn write(&mut self, path: &str, bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<(), FsError> {
+        let path = validate_path(path)?;
+        if bytes.len() > MAX_FILE_BYTES {
+            return Err(FsError::FileTooLarge);
+        }
+        let index = self.find(path).ok_or(FsError::NotFound)?;
+        let entry = &mut self.entries[index];
+        entry.data[..bytes.len()].copy_from_slice(bytes);
+        entry.data_len = bytes.len();
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    /// Read a file as bytes; contents need not be UTF-8.
+    pub fn read(&self, path: &str) -> Result<&[u8], FsError> {
+        let path = validate_path(path)?;
+        let index = self.find(path).ok_or(FsError::NotFound)?;
+        let entry = &self.entries[index];
+        Ok(&entry.data[..entry.data_len])
+    }
+
+    /// Remove a file and release its slot.
+    pub fn remove(&mut self, path: &str) -> Result<(), FsError> {
+        let path = validate_path(path)?;
+        let index = self.find(path).ok_or(FsError::NotFound)?;
+        self.entries[index] = Entry::EMPTY;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    /// Return the path of the Nth occupied slot, for simple directory listings.
+    pub fn path_at(&self, occupied_index: usize) -> Option<&str> {
+        self.entries.iter().filter(|entry| entry.used)
+            .nth(occupied_index).map(Entry::path)
+    }
+
+    pub fn file_count(&self) -> usize {
+        self.entries.iter().filter(|entry| entry.used).count()
+    }
+
+    fn find(&self, path: &str) -> Option<usize> {
+        self.entries.iter().position(|entry| entry.used && entry.path() == path)
+    }
+}
+
+fn validate_path(path: &str) -> Result<&str, FsError> {
+    if !path.starts_with('/') || path == "/" || path.ends_with('/') {
+        return Err(FsError::InvalidPath);
+    }
+    if path.len() > MAX_PATH_BYTES {
+        return Err(FsError::PathTooLong);
+    }
+    if path.split('/').any(|part| part.is_empty() || part == "." || part == "..") {
+        return Err(FsError::InvalidPath);
+    }
+    Ok(path)
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::{FsError, RamFs};
+
+    #[test]
+    fn create_write_read_and_remove() {
+        let mut fs = RamFs::<4>::new();
+        fs.create("/hello.txt").unwrap();
+        fs.write("/hello.txt", b"Rustalis").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(fs.read("/hello.txt").unwrap(), b"Rustalis");
+        assert_eq!(fs.file_count(), 1);
+        fs.remove("/hello.txt").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(fs.read("/hello.txt"), Err(FsError::NotFound));
+        assert_eq!(fs.file_count(), 0);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn rejects_traversal_and_duplicate_paths() {
+        let mut fs = RamFs::<2>::new();
+        assert_eq!(fs.create("/../secret"), Err(FsError::InvalidPath));
+        fs.create("/note.txt").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(fs.create("/note.txt"), Err(FsError::AlreadyExists));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn reports_capacity_and_size_errors_without_corrupting_data() {
+        let mut fs = RamFs::<1>::new();
+        fs.create("/a").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(fs.create("/b"), Err(FsError::NoFreeSlots));
+        fs.write("/a", b"ok").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(fs.write("/a", &[0; 257]), Err(FsError::FileTooLarge));
+        assert_eq!(fs.read("/a").unwrap(), b"ok");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/kernel/src/main.rs b/kernel/src/main.rs
index 7d2fb3b..649d844 100644
--- a/kernel/src/main.rs
+++ b/kernel/src/main.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use bootloader_api::{entry_point, BootInfo};
 use core::panic::PanicInfo;
 
 mod arch;
+mod fs;
 mod logger;
 mod memory;
 
@@ -17,17 +18,36 @@ fn kernel_main(boot_info: &'static mut BootInfo) -> ! {
     logger::info("Boot information received");
     arch::x86_64::init();
     logger::info("x86_64 architecture layer initialized");
+
     let summary = memory::summarize(&boot_info.memory_regions);
     logger::info_u64("Memory regions", summary.region_count as u64);
     logger::info_u64("Usable memory bytes", summary.usable_bytes);
     logger::info_u64("Reserved memory bytes", summary.reserved_bytes);
+
+    // Exercise the allocation-free RAM filesystem before the heap and storage
+    // drivers exist. This is volatile memory and is reset on every reboot.
+    let mut ramfs = fs::RamFs::<8>::new();
+    if ramfs.create("/welcome.txt").is_ok()
+        && ramfs.write("/welcome.txt", b"Welcome to Rustalis").is_ok()
+        && ramfs.read("/welcome.txt") == Ok(&b"Welcome to Rustalis"[..])
+    {
+        logger::info("RAM filesystem initialized; /welcome.txt verified");
+        logger::info_u64("RAM filesystem files", ramfs.file_count() as u64);
+    } else {
+        logger::error("RAM filesystem smoke test failed");
+    }
+
     logger::info("Rustalis booted successfully.");
-    loop { core::hint::spin_loop(); }
+    loop {
+        core::hint::spin_loop();
+    }
 }
 
 #[panic_handler]
 fn panic(info: &PanicInfo) -> ! {
     logger::error("KERNEL PANIC");
     logger::panic_info(info);
-    loop { core::hint::spin_loop(); }
+    loop {
+        core::hint::spin_loop();
+    }
 }