I will explain to you what is the function of the kernel of an operating system? in the most simple way. Kernel is a Central part of the operating system. Many times we think that kernel is an Operating System, but it is false it is not an Operating System. in this article I will discuss what the essential functions of the kernel of an operating system. Kernel is an interface between software and hardware.It deal with hardware as per the user instruction given using the software. For example, you can think when you click on keyboard and press key, then the software which is the device driver of the keyboard will understand which key has been pressed. Accordingly, it will turn up the device driver of the monitor and display the press Rakhi value on a monitor.
what is the function of the kernel of an operating system?
Share first we have to understand what is hardware and what is software? and then we undestand what is the function of the kernel of an operating system?.The very simple way the hardware is the components that we can touch, we can touch the keyboard mouse Ram CD ROM at 17 and but we cannot directly operate with hardware so what we need is a software using which we can manage the hardware.
Function of the kernel of an operating system
- process management
- memory management
- file management
- device management
- protection and security
ok so now I will elaborate each of the functions of kernel of operating system
Process Management
Managing the processes on the system that means the kernel will create the process to manage the process and kill the process. The second most important task of the kernel is execution of processes . Many processes are at the time running in the computer system. They are runningin in the RAM. Now kernel has to decide which of which process will be executed by the CPU and for how much time. There are many algorithms fifo, LIFO, First Come First serve etc. in process management one more function done by the kernel is sharing resources between multiple processes. Algorithms are available like dining table philosopher problem. kernel also manages the concurrency control when many processes use one resource. It also manages the deadlock.
Memory Management
in a simple way you can think the RAM is a main memory. you can think the RAM as one cupboard and slots as a division of cupboard. kenel will take care which are the memory parts used by which processes in which are free. Sometimes the size of the process is too large to accommodate into the RAM so kernel will decide which process will move out from the main memory to secondary memory and which process will move in or swap in into the main memory or secondary memory. Kurnool is also responsible for allocating the required memory to the processes full stop here we can even understand one thing the address of the memory which displayed by the Kernel to the user is a virtual address and not the actual address of the RAM.
File Management
Kernel is also responsible for creating and deleting files and folders. It also makes a memory map using which it locates the file on the disk. Kernel is also responsible for renaming copying the file as well as giving permission to the users for accessing the particular file. So, in short, all the operations file is handled by the. Kernel
Device Management
Your device management you can think that when we are using keyboard or Mouse or CD ROM how internally it will work .When you press the key, then you wait for it that the key value will be displayed on the monitor. how will it internally work ? That is done by the Kernel . functions of the kernel under device management is it handles the interrupts by the user and communicate with the devices like keyboard mouse CD ROM monitor etc.
you can think that when you press the keyboard key on the keyboard then interrupt generated to the operating system, and all other works are stop and priority given to displaying the character on the monitor. There are two types of maskable interrupt interrupts and non-maskable interrupts.
Protection and Security
Final task of kernel is protection and security to the files as we discussed in the file management section that which user is allowed to login into the system and once he has login which are the resources he can access. Login into the system is call authentication in which resources permitted to access to particular user is call authorisation so the privileges part r is handle by the Colonel it prevents us from the different attacks like Trojan viruses and hacking.
Recent Operating system and kernel versions mapping
Microsoft windows uses Windows NT kernel
Mac OS uses XNU
Ubuntu, redhat, centos uses Linux. For more information about linux kernel you can visit here.
what is the function of the kernel of an operating system? explain with simple example
So here you can understand that when user uses one application program like WordPad.
Open up the file then the application program will call the kernel and kernel will Call the Hardware device driver and utility programs.
The hardware device driver and utility programs are in turn call Hardware devices.
Now you understand that when you are using word pad is an application program when you open the file it calls the hard disc and gets out the content of your respected file into the RAM And will display the data into the monitor. So RAM, hard disc and monitor all are hardware devices and management between these devices done by kernel, so that is considered as a function of the kernel in the operating system.
Conclusion
I am trying to elaborate on what is the function of the kernel of an operating system? with a simple example and practical aspects.
