- OS - Home
- OS - Needs
- OS - Overview
- OS - History
- OS - Components
- OS - Structure
- OS - Architecture
- OS - Services
- OS - Properties
- Process Management
- Operating System Processes
- Process Control Block
- Operations on Processes
- Inter Process Communication
- Context Switching
- Multi-threading
- Scheduling Algorithms
- Process Scheduling
- Preemptive and Non-Preemptive Scheduling
- Scheduling Algorithms Overview
- FCFS Scheduling Algorithm
- SJF Scheduling Algorithm
- Round Robin Scheduling Algorithm
- HRRN Scheduling Algorithm
- Priority Scheduling Algorithm
- Multilevel Queue Scheduling
- Lottery Scheduling Algorithm
- Turn Around Time & Waiting Time
- Burst Time in SJF Scheduling
- Process Synchronization
- Process Synchronization
- Critical Section Problem
- Critical Section Synchronization
- Mutual Exclusion Synchronization
- Semaphores
- Counting Semaphores
- Mutex
- Turn Variable
- Bounded Buffer Problem
- Reader Writer Locks
- Test and Set Lock
- Peterson's Solution
- Monitors
- Sleep and Wake
- Race Condition
- OS Deadlock
- Introduction to Deadlock
- Conditions for Deadlock
- Deadlock Handling
- Deadlock Prevention
- Deadlock Avoidance (Banker's Algorithm)
- Deadlock Detection and Recovery
- Deadlock Ignorance
- Memory Management
- Memory Management
- Contiguous Memory Allocation
- Non-Contiguous Memory Allocation
- First Fit Algorithm
- Next Fit Algorithm
- Best Fit Algorithm
- Worst Fit Algorithm
- Fragmentation
- Virtual Memory
- Segmentation
- Buddy System
- Slab Allocation
- Overlays
- Paging and Page Replacement
- Paging
- Demand Paging
- Page Table
- Page Replacement Algorithms
- Optimal Page Replacement Algorithm
- Belady's Anomaly
- Thrashing
- Storage and File Management
- File Systems
- File Attributes
- Structures of Directory
- Linked Index Allocation
- Indexed Allocation
- Disk Scheduling Algorithms
- FCFS Disk Scheduling
- SSTF Disk Scheduling
- SCAN Disk Scheduling
- LOOK Disk Scheduling
- I/O Systems
- I/O Hardware
- I/O Software
- OS Types
- OS - Types
- OS - Batch Processing
- OS - Multiprocessing
- OS - Hybrid
- OS - Monolithic
- OS - Zephyr
- OS - Nix
- OS - Linux
- OS - Blackberry
- OS - Garuda
- OS - Tails
- OS - Clustered
- OS - Haiku
- OS - AIX
- OS - Solus
- OS - Tizen
- OS - Bharat
- OS - Fire
- OS - Bliss
- OS - VxWorks
- OS - Embedded
- OS - Single User
- Miscellaneous Topics
- OS - Security
- OS Questions Answers
- OS - Questions Answers
- OS Useful Resources
- OS - Quick Guide
- OS - Useful Resources
- OS - Discussion
Monolithic Operating System
A monolithic operating system is a type of operating system architecture where the entire operating system (OS) is implemented as a single large block of code that runs in a single address space (kernel mode). This design combines core functionalities such as process management, memory management, file system management, and device drivers into a single executable binary. It is commonly used by Unix systems, Ms-Dos, etc.
Features of Monolithic Operating System
Following are some important features of the monolithic operating system which we must know about before using it−
Single Address Space: All operating system components, including drivers and system services, execute in the same address space (kernel mode), leading to high performance due to minimal context switching.
Tightly Integrated: Components are closely interconnected, making communication between them efficient.
Performance-Oriented: The monolithic design is optimized for speed and efficiency because function calls within the kernel are faster than inter-process communication used in microkernel architectures.
Complex Debugging: Due to the integrated design, debugging and isolating faults can be challenging, as a failure in one module can potentially crash the entire system.
Benifits of Monolithic Operating System
Following are the benefits of Monolithic operating system−
High Performance: Minimal overhead due to direct function calls and fewer context switches compared to microkernels.
Ease of Access to Resources: All kernel modules can directly access hardware resources and communicate with each other seamlessly.
Simplicity of Design: Easier to implement initially compared to other architectures like microkernels.
Rich Features: Often includes a wide array of built-in functionalities, such as robust file systems, networking stacks, and device driver support.
Limitations of Monolithic Operating System
Following are the limitation of Monolithic operating system−
Lack of Fault Isolation: A failure in one component (e.g., a device driver) can bring down the entire system.
Difficult Maintenance: Changes to the kernel often require recompilation of the entire OS, making updates and bug fixes more complex.
Scalability Issues: Adding new features or supporting additional hardware can make the kernel grow significantly, potentially reducing performance and increasing complexity.