A kernel is the core part of an operating system. It acts as a bridge between software applications and the hardware of a computer. The kernel manages system resources, such as the CPU, memory and devices, ensuring everything works together smoothly and efficiently. In the world of computing, two terms that are frequently mentioned are Operating System (OS) and Kernel . In this article, we will explore the key differences between the OS and the Kernel , their functions, and how they work together to manage hardware and software. What is an Operating System? An Operating System (OS) is the software that manages computer hardware, and software, and provides services for computer programs. It acts as an intermediary between the user and the hardware, making ... Active kernel releases In Releases. There are several main categories into which kernel releases may fall: Prepatch Prepatch or "RC" kernels are mainline kernel pre-releases that are mostly aimed at other kernel developers and Linux enthusiasts. They must be compiled from source and usually contain new features that must be tested before they can be put into a stable release. Prepatch kernels are maintained and released by Linus Torvalds. Mainline Mainline tree is maintained by Linus ... The Linux Kernel documentation ¶ This is the top level of the kernel ’s documentation tree. Kernel documentation , like the kernel itself, is very much a work in progress; that is especially true as we work to integrate our many scattered documents into a coherent whole. Please note that improvements to the documentation are welcome; join the linux-doc list at vger. kernel .org if you want to help out. Working with the development community ¶ The essential guides for interacting with the ...
