[11][12][13] Sailfish OS includes a multi-tasking graphical shell called "Lipstick" built with Qt by Jolla on top of the Wayland display server protocol.

[citation needed] Since it inherited around 80% of MeeGo code, Sailfish can be used as a complete general-purpose Linux OS on devices including in vehicle infotainment (IVI), navigation, smart TV, desktops and notebooks, yachts, automotive, e-commerce, home appliances, measuring and control equipment, smart building equipment, etc.

[19] The SDK, installation and coding tutorials are available for free download from the Sailfish OS website despite the overall license not being open source.

[1] Sailfish SDK uses Qt with VirtualBox for development, compiling and emulation purposes, in contrast to the simulation method.

[25] After positive experiences with pushing early updates to a small group of opt-in users for Sailfish Update 9 and for the connectivity hotfix, Jolla has allowed all interested parties to try a new version of Sailfish OS about 1–2 weeks before official release, in a program called "Early access".

[46] Instead of designation to a specific reference hardware platform, a VirtualBox implementation with the Sailfish SDK is available for development on Linux, OS X and Windows operating systems.

Manufacturers can provide mobile equipment with a licensed Sailfish OS, or as open source, or combining both and including their own or the operator's modifications and branding for specific markets or purposes.

[53] Due to license restrictions, proprietary parts or extensions such as the Alien Dalvik compatibility layer for Android apps are not included.

Jolla's CEO Jussi Hurmola stated in a ZDNet interview, " ... Our UI is ready now, we haven't released it yet, we will save it for the product launch and the platform is getting up now so the project looks pretty nice".

[81] The next day, Jolla's CEO Marc Dillon said on social networking website Twitter that the company had reached the first development target.

Sailfish was debuted by the Jolla team, including a worldwide internet stream, as a demo of the OS, and the UI and SDK during the Slush event in Helsinki, Finland, on 21–22 November 2012.

The alpha stage of Sailfish OS SDK was published at the end of February 2013 and was made available for free download.

[83] In August 2015, version 1.1.9 "Eineheminlampi" was released, which added the main elements of the revamped Sailfish OS 2.0 user interface.

As a result of those efforts, on 18 May 2015 the Russian minister of communications Nikolai Nikiforov announced plans to replace Apple's iOS and Google's Android platforms with new software based on Sailfish.

[88][89] The Chinese multinational technology company Huawei was in talks with the Russian Ministry of Communications to install Aurora OS on tablets for Russia’s population census by August 2020.

[91] Sailfish Alliance is the open alliance established in 2011 by Jolla company to support the MeeGo ecosystem with new products, services and business opportunities around or using Sailfish OS, a Linux operating system combining Mer with proprietary components from Jolla and other parties, for various purposes and mobile devices.

[92][98][99] The Alliance aims to "unite OEM and ODM manufacturers, chipset providers, operators, application developers and retailers.

"[100] The aim of the Alliance is to offer unique differentiation opportunities and sustainable competitive advantage for OEM and ODM manufacturers, chipset providers, operators, application developers, retailers and other interested in sides.

It was introduced publicly in Barcelona, Spain at the Mobile World Congress on 2 March 2015 where plans for Sailfish Secure were presented.

It is based on a security-hardened version of Sailfish OS and SSH's communication encryption and key management platform.