Embedded Glossary

A kernel driver is a hardware-oriented software component within the kernel that enables communication between the operating system and a specific hardware component. Among other tasks, it initializes and configures the relevant component, processes interrupts, and provides the kernel and the system components above it with standardized interfaces for accessing the hardware. Reliable operation is ensured by a targeted kernel driver test. The device tree describes the hardware components available in the system, along with their properties and resources. Based on this information, the kernel can detect the corresponding devices and initialize the intended drivers. In this way, kernel drivers enable standardized integration of connected hardware in an embedded system.