Microkernel

Updated: 04/26/2017 by Computer Hope

Microkernels were created in the 1980s to allow services to be more easily worked on, and separate them from the kernel code. Essentially, a microkernel is the minimal amount of software used for implementing an operating system. They consist of less than 10,000 lines of code and include IPC (interprocess communication), low-level address space management, and thread management.

Note

Typical operating systems remove device drivers and file systems from the microkernel, running them in the user space instead.

Kernel, Operating System terms