20SKern

20SKern is a name that has been used for several lightweight kernel-oriented projects and educational resources. There is no single canonical implementation or organization behind the term. In most uses, 20SKern refers to a small, modular kernel intended for exploration of operating system concepts or for use in embedded and educational contexts. Descriptions vary, but the core idea is to provide a compact kernel that can be extended with drivers and services while remaining approachable for learning or experimentation.

Origins and usage: The term appears in online tutorials, university course materials, and hobbyist repositories from the 2010s onward. Different projects use the name independently, so a 20SKern in one source may differ significantly from another.

Architecture and features: Common design goals include a minimal core, clean separation of concerns, and a modular driver interface. Some versions adopt a monolithic structure with a small footprint, others experiment with microkernel-like modularity, and others focus on real-time responsiveness. Typical components include a scheduler, memory management, interrupt handling, basic I/O subsystem, and a simple file interface or block device abstraction. Code is often written in C, with optional assembly for architecture-specific tasks, and aims for portability across architectures such as x86, ARM, or RISC-V.

Usage and impact: As an educational tool, 20SKern helps students and hobbyists study kernel concepts such as context switching, resource management, and device drivers. It is also used in small embedded projects where a custom, minimal kernel is advantageous. The varied references mean practical guidance usually comes from the specific project's documentation rather than a unified standard.