There are four types of kernel:
- Monolithic Kernel
- Micro Kernel
- Hybrid Kernel
- Nano Kernel
Monolithic Kernel:
- It is one of those kernels where the user services/applications such as device drivers, file server, graphical tools, programs of any language,and kernel space services like process management, device management, interrupt handling share the same memory.
- They are faster as there is no separate user space and kernel space.
- All the components are tightly coupled hence failure in any one component affects the entire system.
- They are bigger than a micro kernel and are not easily customizable.
- Example: Unix, Linux
Micro Kernel:
- In this user services and kernel services are implemented in different space and hence are slower, unlike monolithic kernel.
- There is separate user and kernel space.
- The components are loosely coupled and fault in one component does not affect the other.
- Example: Symbian
Diag-1: Micro and Monolithic Kernel

Hybrid Kernel:
- It is the combination of both monolithic kernel and mircrokernel. It has speed and design of monolithic kernel and modularity and stability of microkernel.
- Example: Windows NT, Netware
Nano Kernel:
- A kernel in which the total volume of kernel code, that is, the code being executed in the hardware’s privileged mode, is quite small.
- Larger kernels are designed to offer more features and manage more hardware abstraction.
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Categories: Operating system (OS)
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