shell and kernel?

[ffish]

I often see these 2 words shell and kernel in some articles associated with operation systems such as Windows and Linux, I don't know what they are and what they are for, are they the parts of the operation systems.

Thanks!

[bigandy]

I was going to try to explain it myself, but realized it probably wouldn't be quite detailed enough so check these out:

(1) The outermost layer of a program. Shell is another term for user interface. Operating systems and applications sometimes provide an alternative shell to make interaction with the program easier. For example, if the application is usually command driven, the shell might be a menu-driven system that translates the user's selections into the appropriate commands. (2) Sometimes called command shell, a shell is the command processor interface. The command processor is the program that executes operating system commands. The shell, therefore, is the part of the command processor that accepts commands. After verifying that the commands are valid, the shell sends them to another part of the command processor to be executed. UNIX systems offer a choice between several different shells, the most popular being the Cshell, the Bourne shell, and the Korn shell. Each offers a somewhat different command language.

Taken from: http://webopedia.com/TERM/s/shell.html

The central module of an operating system. It is the part of the operating system that loads first, and it remains in main memory. Because it stays in memory, it is important for the kernel to be as small as possible while still providing all the essential services required by other parts of the operating system and applications. Typically, the kernel is responsible for memory management, process and task management, and disk management.

Taken from: http://webopedia.com/TERM/k/kernel.html

[ffish]

Thank you bigandy!

kernel The central module of an operating system. It is the part of the operating system that loads first, and it remains in main memory

Since kernel is the part of the operating system, What are the other parts of the operating system such as Windows and Linux ? Thanks!