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Software Development

What is Kernel?

Quick answer

The core part of an operating system that manages hardware, memory, processes, and communication between software and devices.

Kernel, explained

The kernel sits at the heart of an operating system. When an application wants to read a file, use the network, or allocate memory, it asks the kernel through system calls. The kernel decides which programs get CPU time, keeps processes from interfering with each other, and talks to hardware through device drivers.

Different operating systems use different kernel designs. Linux uses a monolithic kernel, where most services run in a privileged space, while microkernel designs keep the core minimal. Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS each have their own kernels, with Android building on Linux. Because the kernel has full control of the system, kernel vulnerabilities are especially serious, and updates are important for security.

Related terms

CPU

Central Processing Unit: the main processor in a computer that executes program instructions and coordinates other components.

Firmware

Low-level software stored on a hardware device that controls how the device starts up and operates.

Linux

A free, open-source operating system kernel, first released in 1991, that powers most servers, Android phones, and countless devices.

Virtual Machine

A software-based computer that runs its own operating system and applications on shared physical hardware.

Yield

In computing, voluntarily giving up the CPU so other tasks can run; in chipmaking, the share of working chips produced on a wafer.

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