Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Linux kernel VS GNU Hurd

Compare Linux kernel VS GNU Hurd and see what are their differences

Linux kernel logo Linux kernel

The Linux kernel is the operating system kernel used by the Linux family of Unix-like operating...

GNU Hurd logo GNU Hurd

GNU Hurd (usually referred to as the Hurd) is a computer operating system kernel designed as a...
  • Linux kernel Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-24
  • GNU Hurd Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-07-25

Linux kernel features and specs

  • Open Source
    The Linux kernel is released under the GNU General Public License, allowing users to view, modify, and distribute the source code freely. This promotes transparency, collaboration, and innovation within the community.
  • Customizability
    Due to its open-source nature and modular design, users can customize the Linux kernel to suit specific needs by enabling or disabling features, which is particularly beneficial for embedded systems or unique hardware environments.
  • Security
    The many contributors working on the Linux kernel can quickly identify and fix security vulnerabilities, and the kernel's design allows for implementation of strong security measures, making it a preferred choice for many security-conscious applications.
  • Stability and Reliability
    Linux is known for its stability and reliability, capable of running for years without crashing or needing a reboot, which is crucial for server environments and critical applications.
  • Hardware Support
    The Linux kernel supports a wide range of hardware architectures and devices due to the contributions of developers across the globe, which allows it to be used on everything from supercomputers to smartphones.

Possible disadvantages of Linux kernel

  • Complexity
    The Linux kernel's extensive feature set and flexibility can lead to complexity, making it difficult for beginners to understand and configure without a steep learning curve.
  • Limited Commercial Support
    Unlike some proprietary operating systems, Linux may have limited dedicated support options, which can be a challenge for companies that require guaranteed, on-demand technical support.
  • Software Compatibility
    Some commercial software applications and games are not natively supported on Linux, which can limit its usability for certain users unless they use compatibility layers like Wine or alternative software.
  • Device Driver Availability
    While the Linux kernel supports a variety of hardware, some cutting-edge or proprietary devices may lack official drivers, requiring users to rely on community-driven development or workarounds.
  • Fragmentation
    The flexibility of Linux allows for numerous variations (distributions), which can result in fragmentation. This diversity can confuse new users and complicate software compatibility across different systems.

GNU Hurd features and specs

No features have been listed yet.

Linux kernel videos

Linux Kernel 5.0 Initial Review

More videos:

  • Review - Let's Talk To Linux Kernel Developer Greg Kroah-Hartman | Open Source Summit, 2019
  • Review - Linux Kernel 4.19 Overview

GNU Hurd videos

GNU Hurd likely to ship in the year 2091 - Lunduke Show

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Linux kernel and GNU Hurd)
Linux
83 83%
17% 17
Linux Distribution
75 75%
25% 25
Operating Systems
75 75%
25% 25
Developer Tools
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Linux kernel seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 228 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Linux kernel mentions (228)

  • If Linux is so great why isn't everyone using it?
    Linux is a family of free and open source operating systems based on the Linux kernel. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • I Solve Problems (talk at EuroBSDCon 2024)
    You mean apart from 6.6 being the current latest longterm kernel? https://kernel.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • What Is PID 0?
    I don't like that, it's not good practice. One should give links to original sources, i.e. https://kernel.org as far as Linux is concerned. Even if git guarantees that the content is the same (if someone bothers to verify that the SHA-1 is the same and we exclude the possibility of a SHA-1 collision in git, which is yet to be demonstrated). kernel.org existed before github. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Thinking about building a operating system
    - Modern Operating Systems, 5th Edition by Andrew Tanenbaum (of MINIX fame) and Herbert Bos (https://www.pearson.com/en-us/subject-catalog/p/modern-operating-systems/P200000003295/9780137618880) is the latest edition of a solid graduate-level textbook on operating system concepts. It may also be beneficial studying the source code of existing operating systems. I recommend starting with smaller, simpler... - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • problem with connman
    Those other flashy distros like mint and ubuntus are designed with rich people with very fresh machines in mind, they don't care if you have an AMDx4 or core2duo or even 32bit older machine. Even Mint and ubuntu people will tell you, if you have an old machine with little ram, use antiX. It still works very well with machines not even released yet, buy one in May 2024 and I "guaranty you" antiX will run fine. ... Source: over 1 year ago
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GNU Hurd mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of GNU Hurd yet. Tracking of GNU Hurd recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Linux kernel and GNU Hurd, you can also consider the following products

Ubuntu - Ubuntu is a Debian Linux-based open source operating system for desktop computers.

XNU - XNU is a hybrid kernel combining the Mach kernel with components from FreeBSD and C++

Arch Linux - You've reached the website for Arch Linux, a lightweight and flexible Linux® distribution that tries to Keep It Simple. Currently we have official packages optimized for the x86-64 architecture.

FreeBSD - FreeBSD is an advanced operating system for x86 compatible (including Pentium® and Athlon™)...

Linux-libre - Linux-libre is a GNU package that is maintained from modified versions of the Linux kernel.

Debian - Debian is a free distribution of the GNU/Linux operating system.