Jun 14, 2026 · This site is operated by the Linux Kernel Organization, a 501 (c)3 nonprofit corporation, with support from the following sponsors.

A simplification of how a kernel connects application software to the hardware of a computer A kernel is a computer program at the core of a computer 's operating system that always has complete control …

The Linux kernel is a free and open-source [16]: 4 Unix-like kernel that is used in many computer systems worldwide. The kernel was created by Linus Torvalds in 1991 and was soon adopted as the …

Linux kernel source tree. Contribute to torvalds/linux development by creating an account on GitHub.

Apr 23, 2026 · kernel is the first part of the OS loaded into memory during boot, and it stays resident while the system is running. It operates in a privileged mode (kernel mode), separate from user mode …

Feb 25, 2026 · Active kernel releases In Releases. There are several main categories into which kernel releases may fall: Prepatch Prepatch or "RC" kernels are mainline kernel pre-releases that are …

Aug 1, 2024 · The kernel is critical to a computer's operation and requires careful protection within the system's memory. The kernel space it loads into is a protected area of memory. That protected …

Apr 12, 2026 · Linux kernel 7.0 is now available, featuring stable Rust support and updates to filesystems, networking, virtualization, and security.

Jun 18, 2026 · The LWN kernel-source database The LWN kernel-source database is a subscriber-only feature offering deep insights into Linux kernel releases, the code that went into them, and the …

Apr 4, 2026 · Kernel version numbers in Linux are famously arbitrary. Linus Torvalds changes the major digit when the minor number feels too big. However, version 7.0 is shaping up to be a substantial …