What is a Linux Kernel?

Kavita Verma
SiteSonic
Published in
3 min readNov 1, 2018

The Linux Kernel is the base for any Linux-based operating system which includes representing the core distributions for the servers and desktop computers. It can be used in the embedded systems like routers also in the Android-based systems. Other systems where it can be used are tablets, Smartphones. An operating system like OpenSuSE, Arch, and Ubuntu are also known as Linux as each of them integrates the use of the Linux Kernel. Created by Linus Torvalds in 1991 and the reason he came up with Linux Kernel is for his personal use on a computer. These days, it is being used and adapted at a rapid rate because it is open source software. Developers actively maintain the operating system across the world. It is presently distributed under the General public license or GNU.

Features of Linux Kernel

Here are the features of Linux Kernel operating system which every user must know:

Open source

The Linux source code is freely accessible and is the development project that is community-based. It includes different teamwork association for enhancing the efficiency of operating and is continually growing.

Multi-user

It is a noteworthy feature of the Linux operating system as multiple users can use the resources of this system such as application programs, RAM, and memory.

Shell

Linux kernel offers the program of the particular interpreter which can be used for the execution of commands of the operating system. The users can make use of the several operations types and the programs of call application.

Communication and resource management

The Linux Kernel enables the user for communicating between the hardware via drivers included in the kernel or additionally through the models of Kernel and the software. It is accountable for effective managing of the resources of a system like memory, task, process and disk managing.

Security

It is an operating system which offers the use of security authentication such as the protection of password, data encryption and the control for accessing the particular files.

Hierarchical file system

Linux kernel is an operating system offering the standard structure of file where it is easy to arrange the files of a user and the files of the system.

The architecture of Linux Kernel system

The architecture of the Linux Kernel is monolithic in nature. It includes defining and controlling the operating system interface with the hardware of the computer. The architecture of Linux Kernel operating system consists of the following layers that are:

Hardware Layer

It is one of the hardware layers which include the devices that are peripheral such as CPU, RAM, and HDD.

Kernel

It is a core component of the operating system which integrates the interaction with the hardware directly, offers the services that are of low level to the elements of the upper layer.

Utilities

The programs of utility include offering the user all of the functionalities of the operating system.

Shell

It is a kernel interface which integrates covering the intricacy of the functionalities of Kernel from the users. It accumulates taking commands from the users and implements the features of the Kernel.

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Kavita Verma
SiteSonic

Kavita's world revolves around highly technical sphere! She loves to keep a tab on what's happening in the world of technology.