CODEWITHSUNDEEP
assemblylinux-kernelx86operating-system
RainingComputers
RainingComputers

Reputation: 564

Writing a Linux compatible kernel

I saw list of Linux system calls here:
http://syscalls.kernelgrok.com/

If I write a new kernel that implements all these system calls that are listed in the above link, can the kernel run all the programs compiled for Linux?
Will it be Linux compatible?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 599

Answers (1)

Tsyvarev
Tsyvarev

Reputation: 65878

can the kernel run all the programs

By itself kernel can ... nothing useful.

You need Operating system (OS) for run programs and do other usual things. Aside from kernel, OS consist of dynamic loader, (standard) libraries, (standard) utilities and many other things.

However, you may use your kernel with Linux operating system. (That is what "rebuilding the kernel" means: replace the kernel, but remain other OS components the same).

Bad thing is that, aside from system calls, kernel should contain drivers, both for hardware (video card, hard drive, and so on) and for software (like filesystems, which are implemented by Linux in the kernel). Drivers are needed for boot on any computer, output to the monitor, read programs from the disk, etc.

Also, system calls are not the only interface between Linux kernel and user space. For make you kernel work with Linux OS you need to provide special filesystems like sysfs: many Linux utilities and programs expect to find appropriate files here.

Upvotes: 6

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