When we want to install Linux on our PC, in general, before doing so, we look for information about the subject, by doing so, we have access to the wide variety of Linux distributions that exist, the most famous being Ubuntu, Fedora, Linux mint, they should .
All these are modified versions of Linux, which share the same Kernel, the so-called Kernel, it is the core of the operating system, which is in charge of all the processes and threads of the system, this has the main characteristic of being open source, and thanks to this is that there are so many Linux distributions.
What is Kernel?
An operating system is based on several lines of code one after another, these normally express instructions that must be followed, they are normally interpreted by the computer’s BIOS, but these lines of code are nothing more than that, unless it is available of the Kernel, since this is the core of everything, and the one that knows how to interpret the lines of code.
When you use Linux, you can select what you want to use, you can deactivate some functions and activate others from a command terminal, that is, because in many companies Linux is simply used as a command console, since the graphic section is left more for home and desktop computers.
In everyday use, the Kernel does not interact directly with the user, since it is a set of threads that run without user supervision, the kernel of the system, it has full access to all hardware in the computer, from peripherals to drives. storage and processing.
How does the Kernel work in Linux?
As we already know, the Kernel works as the core of the Linux system, it is based on a Unix clone, and they share many similarities, as we already know, it has control of all the hardware of the PC.
Therefore, it has the power to control the use of RAM memory, Linux being a highly compatible system with many applications, RAM management is vital for the proper functioning of the system, for this reason, it is also a good idea to know which applications are the best when using Linux, since these are specifically made for this system.
Also, the Kernel has the ability to use and manage our processor, as is well known, current computers have a large number of cores and threads, therefore, the kernel must be able to divide tasks efficiently between each one of the cores, in order to achieve the best performance.
Currently the Linux kernel allows you to do almost anything, and you don’t need much knowledge to learn how to use it, it’s good to know it and get rid of the idea that Linux is just a console, in it, you can download a lot of programs from internet, making your distributions a great experience.
What versions of the Linux Kernel exist?
The Linux Kernel has been undergoing changes over the years, and since its release, in 1991, it has a total of 5 versions, when we install a version of Linux, we realize that many times it has a number next to the name, These numbers are the ones that tell us what version of Linux it is.
The first number from left to right, tells us which version of the Kernel has that version, going from 1 to 5, this value normally does not tend to change much, since there are only 5 versions and the first 3 are almost totally obsolete. In the same way, the number followed by this tells us what version the distribution we are using has.
It can be any, Ubuntu, Xubuntu, Linux mint, in general it is recommended that the most recent version is installed, the last two values ​​refer to revisions of the edition and the number of critical failures that the system has had when being tested on PCs or virtual machines, specially designed for this practice.
It should be noted that the more revisions the version of Linux that we are trying to download has, the better and more reliable it will be at the time of its installation, since when errors are found, patches are made and they are quickly resolved.