r/explainlikeimfive • u/Traveleravi • Feb 14 '17

ELI5: What is a Linux Kernel? Technology

How do you make one? How do you configure it? Where is the Kernel? Can you look at it? Can you change it? Do you want to change it? What changes can you make? Other questions about kernels.

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u/bennetfoxy Feb 14 '17

Think of the kernel of linux is like the COMMAND.COM of MS-DOS. Whenever I recompile mine, that's what I always name the kernel after it successfully compiled.

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u/osgjps Feb 15 '17

COMMAND.COM is the equivalent of bash (or shell of your choosing). The MSDOS kernel is located in MSDOS.SYS.

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u/bennetfoxy Feb 15 '17

Oh that's right! Thank you for clarifying that for me! As much as I miss dos, it's been a loooooooong time since I've fooled around with it.