The Linux® kernel is the central component of a Linux Operating System (OS) and serves as the core interface between a computer’s hardware and its processes. It manages communication between the two, ensuring that system resources are utilized as efficiently as possible.
The kernel gets its name from its role—like a seed inside a hard shell—because it resides at the core of the operating system and controls the primary functions of the hardware, whether that hardware is a phone, laptop, server, or any other type of computer.