“What is it, and how does it work?”

A funny explanation of linux kernel, made with a comic by Consolia.

https://consolia-comic.com/comics/kernel

I think more developers should know how the linux kernel works. Regarding it as a black box only gets you so far.

On a different note, some interesting things about the kernel i couldn’t share in the comic:

  • The kernel implements networking protocols such as IP, TCP and UDP, but application protocols such as FTP, DNS and HTTP are are not part of the kernel — implemented in the user space instead.
  • /proc is an illusion, it’s just a way for the kernel to talk to you — and for you to talk to the kernel.
  • All but two of the world’s 500 most powerful supercomputers run on Linux (the other two run on IBM AIX).
  • At time of writing the linux kernel has 18 million lines of code.

About Consolia

Techy, sciencey, nerdy, slightly weird, all rolled into a comic.