Linux kernel

Extracted Attributes

• Founder

  Linus Torvalds

• License

  GNU General Public License version 2 (GPLv2)

• Architecture

  Monolithic

• Design Style

  Modular with dynamically loadable components

• Inception Date

  1991-08-25

• Primary Programming Language

  C (with GNU Compiler Collection extensions)

• Secondary Programming Language

  Assembly

Timeline

• Linus Torvalds creates the Linux kernel as a free Unix-like replacement. (Source: Wikidata)

  1991-08-25

• The Linux kernel is adopted as the kernel for the GNU operating system. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1991-01-01

• By the late 1990s, the kernel is widely included in various operating system distributions branded as Linux. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1999-01-01

• Anthropic's Mythos AI model discovers critical, decades-old vulnerabilities in the Linux kernel, leading to the 100-day Project Glass Wing initiative. (Source: Document fccfeb90-332d-499c-b8d7-0026207a2740)

  2024-01-01

Linux kernel

The Linux kernel is a free and open-source Unix-like kernel that is used in many computer systems worldwide. The kernel was created by Linus Torvalds in 1991 and was soon adopted as the kernel for the GNU operating system (OS), which was created to be a free replacement for Unix. Since the late 1990s, it has been included in many operating system distributions, many of which are called Linux. One such Linux kernel operating system is Android, which is used in many mobile and embedded devices. Most of the kernel code is written in C as supported by the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC), which has extensions beyond standard C. The code also contains assembly code for architecture-specific logic such as optimizing memory use and task execution. The kernel has a modular design such that modules can be integrated as software components – including dynamically loaded. The kernel is monolithic in an architectural sense since the entire OS kernel runs in kernel space. Linux is provided under the GNU General Public License version 2, although it contains files under other compatible licenses.

Web Search Results

• Understanding the Linux Kernel | Sysdig

  Hassaan qaiser bKfkhVRAJTQ unsplash The Linux kernel is the kernel used by Linux-based operating systems and the interface between the hardware and the computer processes. A kernel is a special program responsible for managing the low-level functions of a computer. As such, kernels are the most basic, and also the most important, part of an operating system. Modern operating systems also provide a variety of other tools and services — such as log collection and user management features, to name just a couple — but it's the kernel that provides the most crucial and most basic functionality at the heart of the operating system by unifying hardware and software. [...] Operating systems like macOS have adopted some microkernel features (although their kernel architectures are also partly monolithic, which is why macOS is usually described as having a hybrid kernel architecture), but Linux has retained a monolithic architectural style throughout its history. ## History of the Linux Kernel The Linux kernel was developed beginning in 1991 by Linus Torvalds, who at the time was a programmer in Finland in his early twenties. Torvalds wanted to practice his programming skills. He also wanted to create a kernel that would support a Unix-like operating system that he could run on a PC with an x86 computer chip architecture. [...] Linux is just one of thousands of kernels in existence. Other operating systems have their own kernels, and as we discuss below, there are many different types of kernel architectures in existence. But all kernels perform the same core tasks required to make an operating system work. ## The Linux Kernel vs. Linux OS It's common to hear the term Linux used to refer to any operating system that uses Linux as its kernel. Technically speaking, though, Linux is just a kernel. The rest of the software that runs on a Linux-based operating system — such as graphical user interfaces, Web browsers, and productivity applications — is not part of the Linux kernel. It's provided by other projects.

• What is the Linux kernel?

  ### I want to learn more about: ### Recommended We'll recommend resources you may like as you browse. Try these suggestions for now. ### Get more with a Red Hat account A subscription may be required for some services. ### Edit avatar Login: Account number: # What is the Linux kernel? ## Jump to section ## Overview The Linux® kernel is the main component of a Linux operating system (OS) and is the core interface between a computer’s hardware and its processes. It communicates between the 2, managing resources as efficiently as possible. The kernel is so named because—like a seed inside a hard shell—it exists within the OS and controls all the major functions of the hardware, whether it’s a phone, laptop, server, or any other kind of computer. ## What the kernel does [...] ## What the kernel does The kernel has 4 jobs: The kernel, if implemented properly, 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). Think about it like this: The kernel is a busy personal assistant for a powerful executive (the hardware). It’s the assistant’s job to relay messages and requests (processes) from employees and the public (users) to the executive, to remember what is stored where (memory), and to determine who has access to the executive at any given time and for how long. Experience Red Hat Enterprise Linux [...] Experience Red Hat Enterprise Linux ## Red Hat resources ## Where the kernel fits within the OS To put the kernel in context, you can think of a Linux machine as having 3 layers: Code executed by the system runs on CPUs in 1 of 2 modes: kernel mode or user mode. Code running in the kernel mode has unrestricted access to the hardware, while user mode restricts access to the CPU and memory to the SCI. A similar separation exists for memory (kernel space and user space). These 2 small details form the base for some complicated operations like privilege separation for security, building containers, and virtual machines.

• Introduction — The Linux Kernel documentation

  ### Linux development model¶ The Linux kernel is one the largest open source projects in the world with thousands of developers contributing code and millions of lines of code changed for each release. It is distributed under the GPLv2 license, which simply put, requires that any modification of the kernel done on software that is shipped to customer should be made available to them (the customers), although in practice most companies make the source code publicly available. There are many companies (often competing) that contribute code to the Linux kernel as well as people from academia and independent developers. [...] kernel - process management code (including support for kernel thread, workqueues), scheduler, tracing, time management, generic irq code, locking lib - various generic functions such as sorting, checksums, compression and decompression, bitmap manipulation, etc. mm - memory management code, for both physical and virtual memory, including the page, SL\B and CMA allocators, swapping, virtual memory mapping, process address space manipulation, etc. net - implementation for various network stacks including IPv4 and IPv6; BSD socket implementation, routing, filtering, packet scheduling, bridging, etc. samples - various driver samples [...] Introduction View page source # Introduction¶ View slides ## Lecture objectives:¶ Basic operating systems terms and concepts Overview of the Linux kernel ## Basic operating systems terms and concepts¶ ### User vs Kernel¶ Kernel and user are two terms that are often used in operating systems. Their definition is pretty straight forward: The kernel is the part of the operating system that runs with higher privileges while user (space) usually means by applications running with low privileges. However these terms are heavily overloaded and might have very specific meanings in some contexts.

• Welcome to The Linux Kernel's documentation

  The Linux kernel user’s and administrator’s guide + Linux kernel release 4.x + The kernel’s command-line parameters + Linux allocated devices (4.x+ version) + Reporting bugs + Security bugs + Bug hunting + Bisecting a bug + Tainted kernels + Ramoops oops/panic logger + Dynamic debug + Explaining the dreaded “No init found.” boot hang message + Rules on how to access information in sysfs + Using the initial RAM disk (initrd) + Linux Serial Console + Linux Braille Console + Parport + RAID arrays + Kernel module signing facility + Linux Magic System Request Key Hacks + Unicode support + Software cursor for VGA + Kernel Support for miscellaneous (your favourite) Binary Formats v1.1 + Mono(tm) Binary Kernel Support for Linux [...] + Mono(tm) Binary Kernel Support for Linux + Java(tm) Binary Kernel Support for Linux v1.03 + Reliability, Availability and Serviceability [...] Working with the kernel development community + HOWTO do Linux kernel development + Code of Conflict + A guide to the Kernel Development Process + Submitting patches: the essential guide to getting your code into the kernel + Linux kernel coding style + Email clients info for Linux + Minimal requirements to compile the Kernel + Submitting Drivers For The Linux Kernel + The Linux Kernel Driver Interface + Linux kernel management style + Everything you ever wanted to know about Linux -stable releases + Linux Kernel patch submission checklist + Index of Documentation for People Interested in Writing and/or Understanding the Linux Kernel + Applying Patches To The Linux Kernel + Adding a New System Call + Linux magic numbers

• Linux Kernel Development - Linux Foundation - Education

  Linux Foundation - Education Linux Foundation - Training & Certification en_US ja en_US ja # Linux Kernel Development Working on the Linux kernel means building the foundation of everything from servers to smartphones. It’s deep technical work—coding, debugging, and contributing to the engine that powers much of today’s tech. Text alt Text alt Text Editing with Vim (SC100) Shell Scripting Using Bash (SC103) Source Control Management with Git (SC102) Enroll Now ## Filters #### Product Type #### Delivery Method #### Areas of Interest #### Level #### Technology #### Solution ## Explore All

• Image

  

• Founder

  Linus Torvalds

• Instance Of

  Q9662

• Inception Date

  8/25/1991