A monolithic kernel is an operating system architecture with the entire operating system running in kernel space. The monolithic model differs from other architectures such as the microkernel[1][2] in that it alone defines a high-level virtual interface over computer hardware. A set of primitives or system calls implement all operating system services such as process management, concurrency, and memory management.
Device drivers can be added to the kernel as loadable kernel modules.
Monolithic architecture kernel examples: most Unix-like operating system kernels (including the Linux kernel), MS-DOS, Windows 9x.
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- ^ "Server-Client, or layered structure" (PDF). The Design of PARAS Microkernel. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2009.