Linux Kernel

[xArv3nx]

No, ******* nt and later are supposedly a "microkernel" design.

Linux is a monolithic, modular kernel.

i thought windows and mac os x had a hybrid kernel.

[earthpigg]

i thought windows and mac os x had a hybrid kernel.

os x = unix = monolithic

right?

[mc4100]

It's not monolithic.
It's modular.

Windows is monolithic.


That's right isn't it?

It is monolithic. Possibly related:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loadable_Kernel_Module

[Prospero2006]

No, Linux is a monolithic kernel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monolithic_kernel

I'm glad I got that fact straight then.

Thanks,

[snova]

Linux is technically monolithic, since most of the drivers are built in. But it's modular at the same time, since a good many can also be separated.

If the definition of a microkernel is one where drivers are processes, then Linux is monolithic no matter how you look at it. But if by "micro" you mean "split into pieces", then it fits in both categories.

OS X is built on Mach, AFAIK, which is a microkernel.

As far as Windows goes, Microsoft says that it's a "hybrid", but a look at Wikipedia shows that for the most part, it's monolithic. It appears as though it has similar driver loading capabilities as Linux does, though.