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A monolithic kernel is an operating system architecture with the entire operating system running in kernel space. The monolithic model differs from other architectures such as the microkernel [ 1 ] [ 2 ] in that it alone defines a high-level virtual interface over computer hardware .
On most mainstream processors, obtaining a service is inherently more expensive in a microkernel-based system than a monolithic system. [13] In the monolithic system, the service is obtained by a single system call, which requires two mode switches (changes of the processor's ring or CPU mode). In the microkernel-based system, the service is ...
A microkernel that is designed for a specific platform or device is only ever going to have what it needs to operate. The microkernel approach consists of defining a simple abstraction over the hardware, with a set of primitives or system calls to implement minimal OS services such as memory management, multitasking, and inter-process ...
Structure of monolithic kernel and microkernel-based operating systems, respectively. Reflecting on the nature of monolithic kernel based systems, where a driver (which has, according to Minix creator Tanenbaum, approximately 3–7 times as many bugs as a usual program) [17] can bring down the whole system, [18] Minix 3 aims to create an operating system that is a "reliable, self-healing ...
The fact that Linux is a monolithic kernel rather than a microkernel was the topic of a debate between Andrew S. Tanenbaum, the creator of MINIX, and Torvalds. [25] The Tanenbaum–Torvalds debate started in 1992 on the Usenet group comp.os.minix as a general discussion about kernel architectures. [26] [27]
Graphic of a monolithic kernel running kernel space entirely in supervisor mode Microkernel architecture relies on user-space server programs. While the debate initially started out as relatively moderate, with both parties involved making only banal statements about kernel design, it grew progressively more detailed and sophisticated with every round of posts.
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Thus Mach would begin as a monolithic system similar to existing UNIX systems, and progress toward the microkernel concept over time. [4] Mach started largely being an effort to produce a clearly defined, UNIX-based, highly portable Accent. The result was a short list of generic concepts: [7] [8]