If you are a computer user, you might have heard of the term "kernel" before. But what exactly is a kernel and what does it do? In this blog post, we will explain what a kernel is, how it works, and why Linux has one of the most popular kernels in the world.
- A kernel is the core component of an operating system. It is responsible for managing the communication between the hardware and the software of a computer. It handles tasks such as memory management, process scheduling, device drivers, file systems, network protocols, and security. A kernel acts as a bridge between the applications that run on a computer and the physical devices that execute them.
- There are different types of kernels, such as monolithic kernels, microkernels, hybrid kernels, and exokernels. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of performance, stability, security, and complexity. A monolithic kernel is a single large program that contains all the essential functions of an operating system. A microkernel is a small program that only provides the basic services of an operating system, while other functions are implemented as separate modules that run in user space. A hybrid kernel is a combination of a monolithic kernel and a microkernel, where some functions are integrated into the kernel and some are modularized. An exokernel is a minimal program that only exposes the hardware resources to the applications, allowing them to directly access and manage them.
- Linux is an example of a monolithic kernel with some features of a microkernel. Linux was created in 1991 by Linus Torvalds, a Finnish computer science student who wanted to create a free and open source operating system for his personal computer. Linux is based on Unix, a family of operating systems that originated in the 1970s. Linux is compatible with Unix standards and supports many Unix features, such as multitasking, multi-user, multi-platform, networking, and security.
- Linux is one of the most widely used kernels in the world. It powers millions of devices, from desktops and laptops to servers and supercomputers. It also runs on smartphones, tablets, routers, smart TVs, game consoles, cars, robots, and more. Linux is known for its reliability, flexibility, scalability, portability, and customizability. Linux is also free and open source, which means that anyone can use it, modify it, and distribute it without any restrictions or fees.
- Linux is not an operating system by itself. It is only a kernel that needs other components to form a complete operating system. These components include libraries, utilities, graphical user interfaces (GUIs), applications, and more. There are many distributions of Linux that provide different combinations of these components to suit different needs and preferences of users. Some of the most popular distributions are Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), CentOS, Mint, Arch Linux, Gentoo Linux, and Kali Linux.
- In conclusion, a kernel is the core component of an operating system that manages the communication between the hardware and the software of a computer. Linux is one of the most popular kernels in the world that powers millions of devices across various platforms. Linux is a monolithic kernel with some features of a microkernel that is based on Unix standards and supports many Unix features. Linux is also free and open source software that anyone can use.
- To check kernel version of you're Linux OS you can use following commands
$ uname -r
$ cat /proc/version
$ rpm -q kernal
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