Operating System structure is the basic model which is needed to implement Operating

Systems. There are many types of structures, each having its own properties

1. Simple Structure
2. Monolithic Structure
3. Layered Approach Structure
4. Micro-kernel Structure

Simple Structure

It is the simplest Operating System Structure and is not well defined; It can only be used
for small and limited systems. The interfaces and levels of functionality are not well
separated. MS-DOS is an example of such an operating system. In MS-DOS, application
programs are able to access the basic I/O routines. These types of operating systems
cause the entire system to crash if one of the user programs fails.

Advantages of Simple Structure

 It is easy to develop because of the limited number of interfaces and layers.

 It provides good performance due to lesser layers between hardware and applications.

Disadvantages of Simple Structure

 If one user program fails, the entire operating system crashes.

 Limited functionality.
 Abstraction or data hiding is not present as layers are connected and communicate with
each other.

Monolithic Structure

The Monolithic operating System in which the kernel acts as a manager by managing all things
like file management, memory management, device management, and operational processes of
the Operating System.
The kernel is the heart of a computer operating system (OS). Kernel delivers basic services to
all other elements of the System. It serves as the primary interface between the Operating
System and the hardware.

In monolithic systems, kernels can directly access all the resources of the operating System
like physical hardware, like Keyboard, Mouse etc.

Advantages of Monolithic structure:

 It is simple to design and implement because all operations are managed by kernel only,
and layering is not needed.

the execution of the monolithic kernel is relatively fast as compared to normal systems.

Disadvantages of Monolithic structure:

 If any service in the monolithic kernel fails, the entire System fails
 Lack of modularity makes maintenance and extensions difficult.
 It is not flexible to add a new service

Micro-kernel Structure

Micro-Kernel structure designs the Operating System by removing all non-essential components
of the kernel. These non-essential components of kernels are implemented as systems and user
programs. Hence these implemented systems are called as Micro-Kernels.
Each Micro-Kernel is made independently and is isolated from other Micro-Kernels. So this
makes the system more secure and reliable. If any Micro-Kernel fails, then the remaining
operating System remains untouched and works fine.

Advantages of Micro-kernel structure:

 It allows the operating system to be portable between platforms.

 Enhanced system stability and security.
 As each Micro-Kernel is isolated, it is safe and trustworthy.
 Because Micro-Kernels are smaller, they can be successfully tested.
 If any component or Micro-Kernel fails, the remaining operating System is unaffected
and continues to function normally.

Disadvantages of Micro-kernel structure:

 Increased inter-module communication reduces system performance.

 System is complex to be constructed.
 Complexity in managing user-space components.

Layered Structure

In this type of structure, OS is divided into layers or levels. The hardware is on the bottom
layer (layer 0), while the user interface is on the top layer (layer N). These layers are arranged in
a hierarchical way in which the top-level layers use the functionalities of their lower-level
layers.

 Each layer is responsible for a specific set of tasks. This makes it easier to understand,
develop, and maintain the operating system.
 Layers are typically arranged in a hierarchy. This means that each layer can only use the
services provided by the layers below it.
 Layers are independent of each other. This means that a change to one layer should not
affect the other layers.
 .

Advantages of Layered Structure

 It is very easy to perform debugging and system verification.

it is very easy to understand, develop, and maintain the operating system.

Disadvantages of Layered Structure

 In Layered Structure, layering causes degradation in performance.

 Construction of the layers requires careful design because upper layers only make use of
lower layers' capabilities.

Modular Structure

In a modular operating system structure, the operating system is divided into a set of
independent modules. Each module is responsible for a specific task, such as memory
management, process scheduling, or device drivers. Modules can be loaded and unloaded
dynamically, as needed.

Advantages of Modular Structure

 A modular structure is highly modular, meaning that each module is independent of the
others. This makes it easier to understand, develop, and maintain the operating system.
 A modular structure is very flexible. New modules can be added easily, and existing
modules can be modified or removed without affecting the rest of the operating system.

Disadvantages of Modular Structure

A modular structure can be more complex than other types of operating system structures.

A modular structure can be less performance as compared to other types of operating system
structures.