Why Linux is Vital for DevOps: Architecture Explained

What is OS ??

An operating system is software that manages all of the hardware resources associated with your desktop or laptop. To put it simply, the operating system manages the communication between software and hardware.

Linux Architecture

1. Applications - External apps which we see on our machine.

2. Shell - Shell is the medium through which the user can communicate with the Linux OS and ask it to do the things which we require. So, Shell is the medium/interface through which the applications and the Kernel can communicate with each other. So, if we want to open any application on our device then we will write the command in shell due to which that kernel will get a notification that this app needs to be working, so kernel using the code logic written in it, communicates with the hardware and then the application starts to run. There are different types of Shell : 1. The C Shell – Denoted as csh, 2. The Bourne Shell – Denoted as sh, 3. The Korn Shell - Denoted as ksh, 4. GNU Bourne-Again Shell – Denoted as bash.

3. Kernel - It is the heart of Linux, as the core code of Linux OS is kept in it and this is written in C programming language. So, the applications which we see on our desktop, functions in a particular form and the Hardware of the machine reacts to it in that form this logic is written in Kernel. This happens only because of the core code of Linux OS which is written in the Kernel as it connects Application and Hardware. So, by chance if we delete the kernel of Linux then the Linux OS will crash. Four main responsibilities of kernel :- Device, Process, Memory management and Handling System calls

4. Hardware:- Machine on which OS is installed.

Why Linux outperforms Windows ??

1. Allows high security which means it doesn't need any anti virus software to be installed and used. But in Windows we require the anti virus software to be installed like it has in built Windows Firewall and the company gives the Quick Heal software.

2. Allows multi-user and multi-tasking, with powerful shell and multiple flavors. Powerful shell means a black terminal which opens up when we run Linux and multiple flavors means different versions of Linux for example Ubuntu, CentOS, Kali Linux, RedHat, Fedora, SUSE, etc.

   Multi-User: Linux is multi-user because multiple users from various modes like "web connect", "ssh" can connect to Linux machine and work simultaneously, but in windows its not the same case if a user is logged in & another user wants to use the window’s machine then first user has to disconnect his session and then 2nd user can start the work. Also in between it will start the update which will take a long time. So, both the user's in windows machine can't work simultaneously. But in Linux the update happens within seconds.

   Multi-Tasking: As multiple-users can access the Linux OS, so multiple task can be performed.

3. Free and Open Source and used by 91% of the Applications on the internet. Now Windows also has started putting ubuntu in it, known as 'WSL'.

   Open Source means :

   a. The freedom to run the program, for any purpose.

   b. The freedom to study how the program works, and change it to make it do

   what you wish.

   c. The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor. The

   freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others.

Summary of Linux Architecture

Kernel will get the message from the shell and using the core code logic written in it and kernel will ask the Hardware to do its job. Shell acts as an interface between the Applications and the Kernel. So, on shell the user can write the code for any application, then shell notifies the kernel to do the work with hardware and gets the work done.

Conclusion -

Linux is widely used in the application and devices as the response of the Linux OS is faster, and if the response is faster then the user experience is better.

“Hope you got easy of what is Linux and how it works. Connect with me for more information and if you have any doubt regarding the above info...”