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Linux kernel
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<p>The Linux kernel is a <a href="/facts/Free_and_open-source_software/1cHtjLCB">free and open source</a>,: 4 <a href="/facts/Unix-like/YAKrAxzd">Unix-like</a> <a href="/facts/Kernel_(operating_system)/uEj4U3Rz">kernel</a> that is used in many <a href="/facts/Computer_systems/SQe1aK05">computer systems</a> worldwide. The kernel was created by <a href="/facts/Linus_Torvalds/EdDKP534">Linus Torvalds</a> in 1991 and was soon adopted as the kernel for the <a href="/facts/GNU/HlAKKBdt">GNU</a> <a href="/facts/Operating_system/8XTuvMh2">operating system</a> (OS) which was created to be a <a href="/facts/Free_software/IaoVtJXn">free</a> replacement for <a href="/facts/Unix/0pNL2seI">Unix</a>. Since the late 1990s, it has been included in many <a href="/facts/Linux_distributions/0vVl4N4f">operating system distributions</a>, many of which are called <a href="/facts/Linux/9FvCKSTq">Linux</a>. One such Linux kernel operating system is <a href="/facts/Android_(operating_system)/nNyHb0xz">Android</a> which is used in many mobile and embedded devices. </p><p>Most of the kernel code is written in <a href="/facts/C_(programming_language)/Ky2No763">C</a> as supported by the <a href="/facts/GNU_compiler_collection/t07jh01k">GNU compiler collection</a> (GCC) which has extensions beyond standard C.: 18 The code also contains <a href="/facts/Assembly_language/7XuV0cla">assembly</a> code for architecture-specific logic such as optimizing memory use and task execution.: 379–380 The kernel has a <a href="/facts/Modular_programming/sNoqKvRD">modular</a> design such that modules can be integrated as <a href="/facts/Software_component/eW5wvSHC">software components</a> – including dynamically loaded. The kernel is <a href="/facts/Monolithic_kernel/33kvBcT9">monolithic</a> in an architectural sense since the entire OS runs in <a href="/facts/Kernel_space/0yIzMY8t">kernel space</a>. </p><p>Linux is provided under the <a href="/facts/GNU_General_Public_License/S75KhLSX">GNU General Public License version 2</a>, although it contains files under other <a href="/facts/GPL_compatibility/S75KhLSX">compatible licenses</a>. </p>