Operating System Kernel
An Operating System Kernel is a computer program that is the core component of an operating system.
- AKA: Kernel (Operating System).
- …
- Counter-Example(s):
- See: Abstraction Layer, Computer Program, Input/Output, Data Processing, Computer Hardware, Central Processing Unit, Peripheral, Process (Computing), System Call, Resource (Computer Science).
References
2016
- (Wikipedia, 2016) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kernel_(operating_system) Retrieved:2016-8-9.
- The kernel (also called nucleus) is a computer program that constitutes the central core of a computer's operating system. It has complete control over everything that occurs in the system. As such, it is the first program loaded on startup, and then manages the remainder of the startup, as well as input/output requests from software, translating them into data processing instructions for the central processing unit. It is also responsible for managing memory, and for managing and communicating with computing peripherals, like printers, speakers, etc. The kernel is a fundamental part of a modern computer's operating system.[1]
The critical code of the kernel is usually loaded into a protected area of memory, which prevents it from being overwritten by other, less frequently used parts of the operating system or by applications. The kernel performs its tasks, such as executing processes and handling interrupts, in kernel space, whereas everything a user normally does, such as writing text in a text editor or running programs in a GUI (graphical user interface), is done in user space. This separation prevents user data and kernel data from interfering with each other and thereby diminishing performance or causing the system to become unstable (and possibly crashing).
When a process makes requests of the kernel, the request is called a system call. Various kernel designs differ in how they manage system calls and resources. For example, a monolithic kernel executes all the operating system instructions in the same address space in order to improve the performanceof the system. A microkernel runs most of the operating system's background processes in user space, [2] to make the operating system more modular and, therefore, easier to maintain.[3] The kernel's interface is a low-level abstraction layer.
- The kernel (also called nucleus) is a computer program that constitutes the central core of a computer's operating system. It has complete control over everything that occurs in the system. As such, it is the first program loaded on startup, and then manages the remainder of the startup, as well as input/output requests from software, translating them into data processing instructions for the central processing unit. It is also responsible for managing memory, and for managing and communicating with computing peripherals, like printers, speakers, etc. The kernel is a fundamental part of a modern computer's operating system.[1]
- ↑ Wulf 1974 pp.337–345
- ↑ cf. Daemon (computing)
- ↑ Roch 2004