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XNU VS GNU Hurd

Compare XNU VS GNU Hurd and see what are their differences

LibHunt
LibHunt tracks mentions of software libraries on relevant social networks. Based on that data, you can find the most popular projects and their alternatives. featured
Contents:
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  2. » Videos
  3. » Reviews
  4. » Alternatives

XNU logo XNU

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

GNU Hurd logo GNU Hurd

GNU Hurd (usually referred to as the Hurd) is a computer operating system kernel designed as a...
  • XNU Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-01-12
  • GNU Hurd Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-07-25

XNU features and specs

  • Hybrid Kernel Design
    XNU (X is Not Unix) combines elements of both monolithic and microkernel architectures, leveraging the performance of monolithic kernels and the modularity of microkernels. This allows for efficient system calls and task management.
  • Cross-Platform Capabilities
    Originally developed for PowerPC architecture and now running on Intel and Apple Silicon, XNU's adaptability has been a key aspect of Apple's transition across different hardware platforms.
  • Advanced Memory Management
    XNU provides robust memory management capabilities, including handling of virtual memory and resource allocation, ensuring efficient and reliable performance of macOS and iOS devices.
  • Security Features
    XNU incorporates several security features such as sandboxing, mandatory access controls, and System Integrity Protection, providing a secure environment for application execution.

Possible disadvantages of XNU

  • Complex Codebase
    Due to its hybrid nature and legacy components, XNU has a complex codebase that can be difficult to maintain and extend, which may pose challenges for developers working with the kernel.
  • Limited Open Source Contributions
    While XNU is open source, Apple's strict control over its development means there are limited opportunities for external contributions, which can hinder community-driven innovation.
  • Performance Overhead
    The hybrid architecture, while offering both performance and modularity, can introduce performance overhead in comparison to pure monolithic or microkernel designs.
  • Hardware Dependence
    XNU is specifically tailored for Apple's hardware, which limits its adaptability and performance when used on non-Apple environments.

GNU Hurd features and specs

No features have been listed yet.

XNU videos

+ Add

Great News For JAILBREAK: Apple Open-Sourced The iOS (XNU) Kernel

More videos:

  • Review - [CB18] Smart Fuzzing XPC & XNU by Juwei Lin, Lilang Wu, Moony Li

GNU Hurd videos

+ Add

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

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to XNU and GNU Hurd)

XNU

GNU Hurd

Linux
82 82%
Linux
18% 18
Operating Systems
65 65%
Operating Systems
35% 35
Linux Distribution
60 60%
Linux Distribution
40% 40
Open Source
59 59%
Open Source
41% 41

User comments

Share your experience with using XNU and GNU Hurd. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, XNU seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 47 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.

XNU mentions (47)

  • Roblox Is Already the Biggest Game in the World. Why Can't It Make a Profit?
    What I’m suggesting more than asking is, when you say that open source has lifted their development burden, it makes it sound like it’s a unidirectional taking. And sure, some might be freeloading. But they also do contribute quite a bit to open source. https://opensource.apple.com/ I know your response was more to correct the “developed from scratch” but I still think it’s important to note that it’s not... - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • ScummVM officially released in the App Store
    > ...even though they are technically in violation of the GPL by modifying and shipping bash binaries without full source - it is missing rootless.h (not the X11 file) They're not. They've covered this in two main ways: 1) By listing all their source code on https://opensource.apple.com/ (which links to their GitHub with all the source code) 2) By offering a complete machine-readable copy of the source code upon... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • macOS 13.5 source code released
    The XNU kernel has been open source for a very long time. https://opensource.apple.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XNU Note that this is not the full operating system/windowing system, it's just the kernel. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Apple’s new Proton-like tool can run Windows games on a Mac
    Apple does plenty of open source stuff. Safari's browser engine, Swift, libdispatch, the XNU kernel used by iOS and macOS, etc. And macOS is generally packed with open source things, like the default shell, zsh. Also, Metal actually predates Vulkan, so Vulkan was definitely not established when they started focusing on Metal. Yeah, they probably should consider supporting Vulkan now, but it's nothing to do with... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • DirectX 12 Support on macOS
    It's still not a great thing to do. Apple used to contribute a lot more, even if some of their stuff was exclusive to their platform. https://opensource.apple.com. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
View more

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 XNU and GNU Hurd, you can also consider the following products

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

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

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

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.

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

MINIX 3 - MINIX 3 is a free, open-source, operating system designed to be highly reliable, flexible, and...

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