kernel-mini-overview.md

# Kernel Overview<a name="EN-US_TOPIC_0000001123863153"></a>

-   [Overview](#section1429342661510)
    -   [CPU Architecture Support](#section48891456112819)
    -   [Working Principles](#section4599142312817)


## Overview<a name="section1429342661510"></a>

The OpenHarmony LiteOS-M kernel is a lightweight operating system \(OS\) kernel designed for the IoT field. It features small size, low power consumption, and high performance. The LiteOS-M kernel has simple code structure, including the minimum function set, kernel abstraction layer, optional components, and project directory.

The OpenHarmony LiteOS-M kernel architecture consists of the hardware-related layer and the hardware-irrelevant layer, as shown in  [Figure 1](#fig17231457191415).

-   The  **Kernel arch**  module belongs to the hardware-related layer. This module provides unified hardware abstraction layer \(HAL\) interfaces based on the compilation toolchain and chip architecture, improving hardware adaptability and meeting the expansion requirements of diversified AIoT hardware and compilation toolchains.
-   **Components**  and other modules belong to the hardware-irrelevant layer. Kernel modules, such as the task, provide basic capabilities.  **Components**  provide component capabilities, such as network and file system capabilities.  **Utils**  provides error handling and debugging capabilities. The Kernel Abstraction Layer \(**KAL**\) provides unified standard interfaces.

**Figure  1**  Kernel architecture<a name="fig17231457191415"></a>  
![](figure/kernel-architecture.png "kernel-architecture")

### CPU Architecture Support<a name="section48891456112819"></a>

The CPU architecture includes two layers: general architecture definition layer and specific architecture definition layer. The former provides interfaces supported and implemented by all architectures. The latter is specific to an architecture. For a new architecture to be added, the general architecture definition layer must be implemented first and the architecture-specific functions can be implemented at the specific architecture definition layer.

**Table  1**  CPU architecture rules

<a name="table577192233214"></a>
<table><thead align="left"><tr id="row977192213323"><th class="cellrowborder" valign="top" width="21.592159215921594%" id="mcps1.2.4.1.1"><p id="p15771422123213"><a name="p15771422123213"></a><a name="p15771422123213"></a>Rule</p>
</th>
<th class="cellrowborder" valign="top" width="34.713471347134714%" id="mcps1.2.4.1.2"><p id="p57782211323"><a name="p57782211323"></a><a name="p57782211323"></a>General Architecture Definition Layer</p>
</th>
<th class="cellrowborder" valign="top" width="43.694369436943695%" id="mcps1.2.4.1.3"><p id="p977132223217"><a name="p977132223217"></a><a name="p977132223217"></a>Specific Architecture Definition Layer</p>
</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody><tr id="row1577522103217"><td class="cellrowborder" valign="top" width="21.592159215921594%" headers="mcps1.2.4.1.1 "><p id="p378152243213"><a name="p378152243213"></a><a name="p378152243213"></a>Header file location</p>
</td>
<td class="cellrowborder" valign="top" width="34.713471347134714%" headers="mcps1.2.4.1.2 "><p id="p37819227320"><a name="p37819227320"></a><a name="p37819227320"></a>kernel/arch/include</p>
</td>
<td class="cellrowborder" valign="top" width="43.694369436943695%" headers="mcps1.2.4.1.3 "><p id="p9783225321"><a name="p9783225321"></a><a name="p9783225321"></a>kernel/arch/&lt;arch&gt;/&lt;arch&gt;/&lt;toolchain&gt;/</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr id="row16781422193218"><td class="cellrowborder" valign="top" width="21.592159215921594%" headers="mcps1.2.4.1.1 "><p id="p978112283215"><a name="p978112283215"></a><a name="p978112283215"></a>Header file name</p>
</td>
<td class="cellrowborder" valign="top" width="34.713471347134714%" headers="mcps1.2.4.1.2 "><p id="p2781322193210"><a name="p2781322193210"></a><a name="p2781322193210"></a>los_&lt;function&gt;.h</p>
</td>
<td class="cellrowborder" valign="top" width="43.694369436943695%" headers="mcps1.2.4.1.3 "><p id="p912752623513"><a name="p912752623513"></a><a name="p912752623513"></a>los_arch_&lt;function&gt;.h</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr id="row207882213215"><td class="cellrowborder" valign="top" width="21.592159215921594%" headers="mcps1.2.4.1.1 "><p id="p10789229321"><a name="p10789229321"></a><a name="p10789229321"></a>Function name</p>
</td>
<td class="cellrowborder" valign="top" width="34.713471347134714%" headers="mcps1.2.4.1.2 "><p id="p1778202218329"><a name="p1778202218329"></a><a name="p1778202218329"></a>Halxxxx</p>
</td>
<td class="cellrowborder" valign="top" width="43.694369436943695%" headers="mcps1.2.4.1.3 "><p id="p207817224327"><a name="p207817224327"></a><a name="p207817224327"></a>Halxxxx</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

LiteOS-M supports mainstream architectures, such as ARM Cortex-M3, ARM Cortex-M4, ARM Cortex-M7, ARM Cortex-M33, and RISC-V. If you need to expand the CPU architecture, see  [Chip Architecture Adaptation](../porting/porting-chip-kernel-overview.md#section137431650339).

### Working Principles<a name="section4599142312817"></a>

Configure the system clock and number of ticks per second in the  **target\_config.h**  file of the development board. Configure the task, memory, inter-process communication \(IPC\), and exception handling modules based on service requirements. When the system boots, the modules are initialized based on the configuration. The kernel startup process includes peripheral initialization, system clock configuration, kernel initialization, and OS boot. For details, see  [Figure 2](#fig19742101817344).

**Figure  2**  Kernel startup process<a name="fig19742101817344"></a>  
![](figure/kernel-startup-process.png "kernel-startup-process")