The Linux kernel is the main component of a Linux operating system and is responsible for managing resources as efficiently as possible by communicating between the computers hardware and its processes. It is the lowest level of software that can interface with computer hardware and controls the CPU, memory, inter-process communication (IPC), device drivers, file system management, and system server calls. The kernel is a program that exists on a computer and provides a platform for programs and various services to run on top of it. It is a monolithic kernel with a modular design, meaning it can insert and remove loadable kernel modules at runtime, supporting most features once only available in closed source kernels of non-free operating systems.
The kernel has four main jobs:
- Memory management: Keep track of how much memory is used to store what, and where.
- Process management: Determine which processes can use the central processing unit (CPU), when, and for how long.
- Device drivers: Act as a translator between the hardware and the processes that use it.
- System calls and security: Provide a way for processes to interact with the kernel and ensure that processes cannot interfere with each other.
The kernel is invisible to the user, working in its own little world known as kernel space, where it allocates memory and keeps track of where everything is stored. What the user sees, like web browsers and files, are known as the user space. These applications interact with the kernel through a system call interface (SCI) .
In summary, the Linux kernel is the heart of the Linux operating system and is responsible for managing resources, communicating between the computers hardware and its processes, and providing a platform for programs and various services to run on top of it.
