What Does Monolithic Kernel Mean?
A monolithic kernel is an operating system software framework that holds all privileges to access input/output (I/O) devices, memory, hardware interrupts and the CPU stack. Monolithic kernels tend to be larger than other kernels because they deal with so many aspects of computer processing at the lowest level, and therefore have to incorporate code that interfaces with many devices, I/O and interrupt channels, and other hardware operators.This form of kernel is the basis for Linux, Unix, MS-DOS and Mac OS. Newer operating systems typically use a hybrid kernel to allow for easier maintenance and operating system improvements.
Techopedia Explains Monolithic Kernel
Monolithic kernels retain full privilege access over the various components under their control. These include:
