Editing User space and kernel space

{{Short description|Way of using computer memory}} 
{{Redirect-multi|2|Kernel space|User space|the mathematical definition|Null space|the user space on Wikipedia|Wikipedia:User pages}}
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A modern computer [[operating system]] usually uses [[virtual memory]] to provide separate address spaces or regions of a single address space, called '''user space and kernel space'''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://linux-kernel-labs.github.io/refs/heads/master/lectures/address-space.html#address-space-options-for-32bit-systems|title=Address space|at=Address space options for 32bit systems}}</ref>{{efn|Older operating systems, such as [[DOS]] and [[Windows&nbsp;3.1x]], do not use this architecture.}} This separation primarily provides [[memory protection]] and hardware protection from malicious or errant software behaviour.

{{anchor|KERNEL}}
Kernel space is strictly reserved for running a privileged [[operating system kernel]], kernel extensions, and most [[device driver]]s. In contrast, user space is the memory area where [[application software]] and some drivers execute, typically one address space per process.

== {{Anchor|USERLAND}}Overview ==
The term '''user space''' (or '''userland''') refers to all code that runs outside the operating system's kernel.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/U/userland.html
| title = userland, n.
| work = The [[Jargon File]]
| publisher = [[Eric S. Raymond]]
| access-date = 2016-08-14}}</ref> User space usually refers to the various programs and [[library (computing)|libraries]] that the operating system uses to interact with the kernel: software that performs [[input/output]], manipulates [[file system]] objects, [[application software]], etc.

Each user space [[process (computing)|process]] usually runs in its own [[virtual memory]] space, and, unless explicitly allowed, cannot access the memory of other processes. This is the basis for [[memory protection]] in today's mainstream operating systems, and a building block for [[privilege separation]]. A separate user mode can also be used to build efficient virtual machines – see [[Popek and Goldberg virtualization requirements|Popek and Goldberg's virtualization requirements]]. With enough privileges, processes can request the kernel to map part of another process's memory space to their own, as is the case for [[debugger]]s. Programs can also request [[Shared memory (interprocess communication)|shared memory]] regions with other processes, although other techniques are also available to allow [[inter-process communication]].

{{Linux layers}}
{{Clear}}

== Implementation ==
The most common way of implementing a '''user mode''' separate from [[supervisor mode|kernel mode]] involves operating system [[protection ring]]s.
Protection rings, in turn, are implemented using [[CPU modes]].
Typically, kernel space programs run in [[kernel mode]], also called [[supervisor mode]];
standard applications in user space run in user mode.

Some operating systems are [[single address space operating system]]s—with a single address space for all user-mode code. (The kernel-mode code may be in the same address space, or it may be in a second address space).
Other operating systems have a per-process address space, with a separate address space for each user-mode process.

Another approach taken in experimental operating systems is to have a single [[address space]] for all software, and rely on a programming language's semantics to ensure that arbitrary memory cannot be accessed – applications cannot acquire any [[reference (computer science)|reference]]s to the objects that they are not allowed to access.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://uuu.sourceforge.net/si.php#SEC6
| title=Unununium System Introduction
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011215052223/http://uuu.sourceforge.net/si.php#SEC6
| archive-date=2001-12-15
| url-status=dead
| access-date = 2016-08-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url=http://uuu.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/uuu/uuu/docs/system_introduction/uuu_intro.tex?view=markup
| title=uuu/docs/system_introduction/uuu_intro.tex
| work=UUU System Introduction Guide
| date=2001-06-01
| access-date = 2016-08-14}}</ref> This approach has been implemented in [[JX (operating system)|JXOS]], Unununium and Microsoft's [[Singularity (operating system)|Singularity]] research project.

== See also ==
* [[BIOS]]
* [[CPU modes]]
* [[Early user space]]
* [[Memory protection]]
* [[OS-level virtualization]]

==Notes==
{{notes}}

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.linfo.org/kernel_space.html Linux Kernel Space Definition]
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326162854/http://xarnze.com/article/Entering%20User%20Mode |date=March 26, 2016 |title=Entering User Mode }}

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[[Category:Operating system technology]]
[[Category:Device drivers]]