Kerncomponent

Kerncomponent is a modular kernel architecture concept used to describe independently developed, dynamically loadable units that extend or replace parts of an operating system kernel. A kerncomponent typically implements a specific subsystem capability, such as a device driver interface, a filesystem backend, a scheduling policy, or a memory management strategy, and exposes a stable API that other kernel code or components can depend on.

Components are managed by a central component manager and can be loaded, started, paused, or unloaded at runtime, subject to safety constraints. They are designed to be isolated to limit fault propagation, with well-defined interfaces and lifecycle events. Communication between kerncomponents and with core kernel services commonly uses in-kernel messaging, explicit capabilities, or shared, versioned interfaces. This model supports variation in policy and implementation while preserving overall kernel stability.

Kerncomponents are related to kernel modules but emphasize finer-grained modularization and explicit lifecycle management. They aim to reduce kernel coupling, enable experimentation, and facilitate customization without rebuilding the entire kernel. By allowing multiple implementations of a subsystem to coexist or be swapped, kerncomponents can help optimize for performance, reliability, or security in different environments.

Typical domains for kerncomponents include scheduling policies, file system backends, network protocol stacks, I/O subsystems, storage backends, and virtualization or security interfaces. While the concept appears in research and some experimental OS projects, real-world adoption is limited by integration overhead and the need for rigorous interfaces to prevent incompatibilities.

See also: kernel module, loadable kernel module, microkernel, plug-in architecture.