Microkernel

Definitions

1. An OS kernel architecture that minimizes the code running in kernel space to essential primitives — IPC, scheduling, and memory management — and runs drivers, file systems, and other services as user-space processes, trading raw performance for fault isolation and modularity.

   In plain English: An operating system design where only the absolute core runs with full privileges, and everything else runs in a safer, restricted mode.

   Example: "QNX uses a microkernel, so a crashed network driver doesn't take down the whole system — critical for the car's braking ECU."

Related Terms

• Level Triggered
• Linux Kernel
• Loadable Module
• Memory Alignment
• Named Pipe
• OS Kernel
• Page Cache
• Process Group
• Qemu
• Raw Pointer
• Signal Handler
• Udev
• User Space
• Virtual Address Space
• Virtual File System
• Kernel Hacker