Operating System Kernel
The core component of an OS that manages system resources and mediates between hardware and software.
Definition
The kernel is the central component of an operating system that manages the system's resources and provides services to application software. It operates with the highest privilege level and handles critical functions including process scheduling, memory management, device driver management, system calls, and inter-process communication. Kernels are classified as monolithic (Linux, Unix), microkernel (QNX, Minix), or hybrid (Windows NT, macOS XNU). The kernel operates in a protected memory space separate from user applications.
Example
“When an application requests to read a file, it makes a system call to the Linux kernel, which handles the actual disk I/O operation on behalf of the app.”
Synonyms
- OS core
- system core
- operating system core
Antonyms / Opposites
- user space
- application layer
Images
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Related Terms
- process
- memory-management
- system-call
- operating-system