What is Kernel of a program?

: What is Kernel of a program?
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"kernel" generally referrs to the operating systems, e.g. Windows or Unix, not programs. application programs use kernel (or os) functions or one could write a program that runs in kernel mode (an extension of the operating system)

That i Know? but This question was asked in the interview at a engineering college and i couldn't able to to find out the kernel portion in a program.Infact i came to the conclusion that there is a part of the program which is called the kernel of a program but couldn't know which one.may be the portion which interacts with the os.




: : What is Kernel of a program?
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:
: "kernel" generally referrs to the operating systems, e.g. Windows or Unix, not programs. application programs use kernel (or os) functions or one could write a program that runs in kernel mode (an extension of the operating system)
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If they ask such meaningless questions - they know nothing of the subject or they try to shoot people down...

The application usually 'asks' the OS to do some stuff for it, like open a file or allocate memory, so the answer may be the kernel of most of applications is Operating System. But it can be easily argued into something else - the question is prone to different interpretations.

: That i Know? but This question was asked in the interview at a engineering college and i couldn't able to to find out the kernel portion in a program.Infact i came to the conclusion that there is a part of the program which is called the kernel of a program but couldn't know which one.may be the portion which interacts with the os.
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: : : What is Kernel of a program?
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: : "kernel" generally referrs to the operating systems, e.g. Windows or Unix, not programs. application programs use kernel (or os) functions or one could write a program that runs in kernel mode (an extension of the operating system)
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'kernel' would be the core part of a program (be it an OS or not). Granted, not all program designs have this kind of a separation, but a typical example would be a program designed with a plugin-like architecture - you'd have a 'core' (aka kernel) part and the plugins.

This is an usual misunderstanding. Kernel means "the central, substantial or essential part of anything" (webster quote). It's not limited to operating systems.


: That i Know? but This question was asked in the interview at a engineering college and i couldn't able to to find out the kernel portion in a program.Infact i came to the conclusion that there is a part of the program which is called the kernel of a program but couldn't know which one.may be the portion which interacts with the os.
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: : : What is Kernel of a program?
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: : "kernel" generally referrs to the operating systems, e.g. Windows or Unix, not programs. application programs use kernel (or os) functions or one could write a program that runs in kernel mode (an extension of the operating system)
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So if we have to identify the exact part which could be said as kernel of a program which would you call?

: 'kernel' would be the core part of a program (be it an OS or not). Granted, not all program designs have this kind of a separation, but a typical example would be a program designed with a plugin-like architecture - you'd have a 'core' (aka kernel) part and the plugins.
:
: This is an usual misunderstanding. Kernel means "the central, substantial or essential part of anything" (webster quote). It's not limited to operating systems.
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: : That i Know? but This question was asked in the interview at a engineering college and i couldn't able to to find out the kernel portion in a program.Infact i came to the conclusion that there is a part of the program which is called the kernel of a program but couldn't know which one.may be the portion which interacts with the os.
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: : : : What is Kernel of a program?
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: : : "kernel" generally referrs to the operating systems, e.g. Windows or Unix, not programs. application programs use kernel (or os) functions or one could write a program that runs in kernel mode (an extension of the operating system)
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Well I v been developing an application where there are three or to say four different stages>
First is the command checker. It chks that the cmd is syntatically correct.If Correct gathers the different arguments passes on to the data storage( just one of the values to chk that the object is free ie in idle state) .If free looks for the appr function ,creates a thread to executes it and passes control to the command line inetrface.
So I wud call my Kernel Program the last one .. one that creates the thread to execute. Otherwise If there is any bfor it wont come upto that stage.

: So if we have to identify the exact part which could be said as kernel of a program which would you call?
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I think you can tell from other people's responses that you are asking an impossible question to answer. A programs "kernel" is different for each program. In the simplest program, it would just be main() function. Event-driven programs, such as Microsoft Windows, do not have a "kernel" other than the operating system.

: 'kernel' would be the core part of a program (be it an OS or not). Granted, not all program designs have this kind of a separation, but a typical example would be a program designed with a plugin-like architecture - you'd have a 'core' (aka kernel) part and the plugins.
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: This is an usual misunderstanding. Kernel means "the central, substantial or essential part of anything" (webster quote). It's not limited to operating systems.
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But the question is abiguous at best (and I would probably call it misleading.) In the context of CS, a kernel is almost always associated with an OS. I've had quite a bit of experience programming, including a lot of reading of newsgroups, magazines, and books. Using the word "kernel" for an application is just not commonly used.

Matt.

'Kernel' word essentially refers to any Master or central code module or Application controlling other slave application, remember the old master-slave relation .In context of windows or linux or BSD etc... ,it will be defined as Executing Operating system code .This is the most commonly accpeted defination coz operating system is the master process which controls ur application software processes.I WONT LIKE TO START A HOT DEBATE HERE :))

: 'Kernel' word essentially refers to any Master or central code module or Application controlling other slave application, remember the old master-slave relation .In context of windows or linux or BSD etc... ,it will be defined as Executing Operating system code .This is the most commonly accpeted defination coz operating system is the master process which controls ur application software processes.I WONT LIKE TO START A HOT DEBATE HERE :))

I agree completely. I've never head it used in any other context in the computer industry. Although years ago I had a 16-bit MS-DOS program that had its own multi-threading "kernel". And that kernel acted in the same capacity that you mentioned above.
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: I agree completely. I've never head it used in any other context in the computer industry. Although years ago I had a 16-bit MS-DOS program that had its own multi-threading "kernel". And that kernel acted in the same capacity that you mentioned above.
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Master slave was in relation to Allocation of Resources.That was for guy asking abut whether his module will be called the kernel , dont mark my words , english in not my mother tongue , neither am i an author like u sir.

Kernel is not a program, it's the core of an Operating System such as Windows, Unix etc,. But you can write a program to implement the fuctionality of an Operating system as programming the Win32 API where you use the functions of an OS to enhance the performance of your application ;)

dede