The idea of abstracting away the one thing that must be blindingly fast, the kernel, is inherently counter productive

The idea of abstracting away the one thing that must be blindingly fast, the kernel, is inherently counter productive

Linus Torvalds, the creator of the Linux kernel, is known for his strong opinions and no-nonsense approach to software development. One of the key principles that Torvalds has always emphasized is the importance of performance in the kernel. He believes that the kernel, which is the core of the operating system responsible for managing hardware resources and providing essential services to user programs, must be blindingly fast in order to ensure the overall efficiency and responsiveness of the system.

In the context of software development, abstraction is a technique used to simplify complex systems by hiding unnecessary details and exposing only the essential features. While abstraction can be a powerful tool for managing complexity and improving maintainability, Torvalds argues that abstracting away the kernel, the one thing that must be fast, is inherently counterproductive. By introducing unnecessary layers of abstraction between the hardware and the kernel, developers risk compromising the performance and efficiency of the system.

Torvalds has always been a proponent of writing code that is clean, efficient, and optimized for performance. He believes that the kernel should be written in a way that minimizes overhead and maximizes speed, in order to provide a solid foundation for the rest of the operating system. By abstracting away the kernel, developers run the risk of introducing unnecessary complexity and inefficiency into the system, which can have a negative impact on overall performance.

In the world of open source software development, where collaboration and innovation are key, Torvalds' emphasis on performance in the kernel has had a significant influence on the development of the Linux operating system. The Linux kernel is known for its speed, stability, and efficiency, thanks in large part to Torvalds' insistence on writing code that is fast and optimized for performance.